Women’s Civic Initiative ANTIKO, Skopje

Total budget: 13,999,983.00 MKD

Implementation period: 01.12.2023 – 30.09.2026 (34 months)

Specific topic: Gender equality/ Social Inclusion

Partners:

Association for Multicultural Affirmation and Education of Women and Youth in Rural Areas SEKOGASH SOZIVOT village Kanatlarci, Prilep municipality
Association for Education and Culture ADRION village of Trebos, Želino

Constituents: Citizens from the target regions and municipalities, especially from smaller urban and rural areas; Young people women and men; civil society organizations; central and local authorities and public institutions; businesses and industries; ethnic and cultural groups; groups of users of public services; academic groups and students; parents and family groups; elderly persons; media;

About the project supported by Civica Mobilitas: The voice and participation of women and youth in creating public policies and enabling an environment for civic engagement

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTED SPECIFIC TOPIC

A process that promotes/enables active participation in civic causes. Contributes to and influences the realization of positive changes in the lives of young people and women in small and rural communities. Empowered citizenship involves and participates in policy creation and decision-making through an improved (enabling) environment for civic action. Increased number of activists and actions. A more actively engaged civil society at the micro level

OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS

Overall Objective: Improved and expanded spaces and opportunities for civic engagement through strengthened and better organized grassroots NGOs that inspire, motivate their constituents, and are easily accessible to citizens, enabling bottom-up action on community and political agendas that foster inclusivity and sustainable civil society. These actions operate upon tangible programs based on democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law.

Specific Objective:

Building capacities and enhancing the abilities and skills of local grassroots NGOs – supporting civic participation in policy-making and decision-making.
Increasing civic engagement and influence on the creation of public policies and participation in decision-making – fostering greater involvement in civil society.
The voice and capacity of young people and women are increased for active participation in community building by exerting influence in the creation of public policies and decision-making.

RESULTS

Improved internal organizational capacities – knowledge and s
Built capacities of young active community leaders, developed education modules
Increased theoretical knowledge and practical leadership skills and abilities for civic engagement.
Enhanced collaboration and communication with local authorities, civil organizations, youth councils and centers, etc. Young leaders increased visibility for the needs and challenges.
Young leaders influenced positive changes by increasing public youth activism.
Implemented public social actions in communities.

ACTIVITIES

Assessment: Mapping the initial conditions and determining the organizational capacities of the target CSOs in the target municipalities
Holding trainings for capacity building of CSOs
Holding workshops (trainings) for public advocacy and lobbying
Organizing 3 public advocacy campaigns in areas and current topics related to the goals and expected results of the project
Holding integrated sessions on the topic: Bringing the gender perspective into the creation of public policies/projects and budgets
Continuous activities with different forms and approaches of public advocacy and lobbying to create a greater space for citizen participation and a more favorable environment for state funding (via social media, websites, and other forms and approaches of action
Organizing public events, debates, and round tables in communities about local problems and challenges.
Research: Mapping the initial situation and assessment of civic engagement in the selected municipalities
Developing a program to strengthen the capacities of CSOs
Organizing trainings to strengthen capacities for civic participation – engagement in the community.
Consultations with citizens – organizing forums in communities
Events for establishing a dialogue with the authorities (meetings, debates, round tables between CSOs, citizens and authorities)
Activities for building networks and partnerships
Events on current topics in schools, universities
Cooperation and partnerships – facilitating the process of joint efforts towards local problems
Meetings and other forms of cooperation activities with stakeholders, the business sector, the media and other relevant actors and institutions
Mapping the situations – identifying the skills and aspirations of the registered candidates for participation in the Program for Young Leaders.
Developing modules and a program for training leaders
Holding of trainings/workshops for acquiring leadership skills and abilities for organizing public social actions in the community
Implementation of social public actions in the community and raising the voice of young people
Holding courses for women to increase their potential for active participation in the labor market
Organization of informational and educational sessions -Facilitation to facilitate access to microfinance institutions and microloan programs.
Establishing a dialogue between women and the authorities to create an enabling environment for the development of women’s entrepreneurship and the economic empowerment of women through the creation of gender-responsive policies and budgets
Organizing activities for lobbying and public advocacy to introduce the gender aspect into the policies and programs of public utility services
Monitoring of gender (economic) policies with mentoring/consulting s.