Civic Impulse #7: Monthly Review of Grantee Activities
July 2025
In July, the activities of Civica Mobilitas grantees directed to strengthening gender equality and social inclusion were predominant. They were followed by the initiatives dedicated to environment protection and education improvement.
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (HCHR) and the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination (KSZD) filed a public interest lawsuit against the Government and the Ministry of Health, demanding changes in the Law on Health Insurance in order to provide equal treatment for women framers, who are excluded from the right to paid maternity leave, despite regularly paying their health and social insurance. The Commission has already confirmed that there is a continued and indirect discrimination, and the lawsuit aims to overcome this inequality and strengthen the protection of reproductive and labour rights of these women. The lawsuit has been filed as part of the project “Equality Now – Empowerment of the Marginalized Communities in Social Inclusion and Non-Discrimination”, supported by the Swiss Government via Civica Mobilitas.
On 23rd July, HCHR, in partnership with HOPS-Healthy Options Project and the Coalition Margini held a training for the members and employees of KSZD, in order to improve the understanding of prejudices, stigma and discrimination to LGBTI persons, people using drugs and people with HIV and strengthen the capacities for inclusive approach in their work. The experts of the Network for Protection from Discrimination paid special attention to recognizing their personal prejudice and the way in which the Commission members can be allies in protecting the rights of the marginalized communities.
In Kichevo, the Women’s Civic Initiative (WCI) Antiko, together with their partner organizations “Always Cohabitation” and Adrion organized an informative and educational session on economic empowerment of women. With the project “Voice and Participation of Women and Young People in Creating Public Policies and Enabling Environment for Civic Participation”, the participants received information on access to the institutions when it comes to microfinancing, grants and business idea development programmers.
In Negotino, Message Negotino, ECO-LIFE from Kavadarci and the Association of People with Cerebral Palsy and Other Disabilities from Veles brought the medical personnel closer to the reality of the people with disabilities by holding three meetings. The first meeting united the doctors and the patients, such as Dr Rozjana NIkolova Janeva and Dr Asparuh Dimkovski, who shared their professional experience, and the people with disabilities and their caretakers spoke about the challenged and expectations, tracing a path to a more empathic and more accessible medical service. The second session, held on 7th July at the Eco Camp at Mladost Lake near Veles, transferred this energy into an open and inspirational environment, where the medical professionals learned about the protocols of coverage and treatment, but also heard the power of personal stories; the same happened at the last meeting of 11th July at Brioni Park restaurant in Kavadarci. The meetings and the presentations with the medical personnel are part of the project “Facing Challenges and Stigmatization”.
The Forum of Reasonable Policies, the Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities – Skopje (ISSH-S) and the Balkan Institute for Regional Cooperation (BIRC) published the study “From Political Reforms to Expertise Based Reforms”, which, according to Bardhyl Zaimi, MA, indicates that “North Macedonia still faces deep challenges related to the transfer from mainly short-term political based interests to sustainable and professional reforms based on expertise”. Ahmed Qazimi speaks about Transformation on Universities and Their Challenges in Modern Era and points out that education is more and more treated as market good, which brings to changes in the role of the university, which should be transformed from a place for transfer of knowledge to space where knowledge is built together. The study is part of the project “Advocacy for Inclusive Development”, supported by the Swiss Government via Civica Mobilitas.
In the area of environment, Eco Green Movement from Berovo and the Center for Climate Changes organized educational events for prevention rom forest fires. On 26th July at Berovo city square, together with local citizens, institutions and activists, they held interactive sessions and panel discussions on forest protection, with special stress on the participation of children who via their message remind us that the future depends on today’s decision. The event sent a clear message on the need of legal changes, better coordination and bigger investments in forest protection, as well as active role of the citizens and the young.
With lawsuits and trainings, educational sessions, public appearances and studies, Civica Mobilitas grantees proved once again that when people, ideas and dedication are together, every month can be a month of real changes.
