TIIIIT! INC. – SKOPJE CITIZEN ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTION OF FEMALE ACTIVITY

Budget provided from Civica Mobilitas: MKD 1,798,099

Timeframe: 15 months

CONSTITUENTS

Direct constituents are women and girls from the Republic of North Macedonia.

Indirect constituents will be CSOs, media, journalists and institutions in charge: Ministry of Health, Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Education and Science.

ON THE PROJECT SUPPORTED BY CIVICA MOBILITAS

End to menstrual poverty – Advocacy for decreasing menstrual poverty in RNM

BACKGROUND

The action will enable social changes by creating functional mechanisms and measures for improved access of women and girls to means for menstrual hygiene which will directly contribute to decrease menstrual poverty in RNM.

The action will contribute to establishing an informal national network of CSOs, experts and supporters which will advocate in an argumented and constructive way and cooperate with the institutions and advise them on current and urgent issues of crucial importance, related to gender equality.

GOALS AND RESULTS

Goal: Improving the access to means for menstrual hygiene with women and girls in RNM and addressing menstrual poverty by raising public awareness and policy changes that will lead to socially inclusive management and promotion of gender equality.

Objective: Create functional mechanisms and measures for access of women and girls to means for menstrual hygiene and opening a public debate on menstrual poverty.

RESULTS

1. A comprehensive study on the access to menstrual hygiene in the Republic of North Macedonia assessment of the situation with menstrual poverty and recommendations for policy promotion;
2. An open discussion in the public sphere on menstrual poverty and increasing the access to means for menstrual hygiene;
3. Established informal national platform on joint usage of measures and policies for improved access to the means for menstrual hygiene by actively included civil sector representatives and decisions makers in the institutions in charge;
4. Started advocacy process for accepting and introducing functional mechanisms and measures for improved access of women and girls to the means for menstrual hygiene and decreasing menstrual poverty.

ACTIVITIES

1. Preparation of a comprehensive study on the access to menstrual hygiene in the Republic of North Macedonia as the basis for understanding the situation with menstrual poverty;
2. Methodology design;
3. Online survey on the access to menstrual hygiene with girls and women;
4. Assessment of the menstrual hygiene expenses;
5. Nationally representative survey on the access to menstrual hygiene with high school girls;
6. Organizing a public event for study promotion;
7. Implementation of a national campaign to raise the awareness on the need of accessible menstrual hygiene and opening the issue of menstrual poverty in the public sphere;
8. Creating an informal national platform for advocacy on the issue of better access to menstrual hygiene;
9. Organizing meetings with potential collaborators and supporters;
10. Signing MoUs of the organization with the network members, the newly established network and the institutions via which this issue will be addressed (MoH, IPH, MLSP, MES);
11. Staring a process of advocacy for inclusion of measures and solutions in the national strategic documents that should regulate this issue to end menstrual poverty;
12. Creating a set of measures to promote the access to menstrual hygiene;
13. Advocacy for including the issue of better access to menstrual hygiene in the new 2020-2030 National Strategy for Sexual and Reproductive Health;
14. Advocacy for changes and amendments to the Value Added Tax.