In the municipalities of Kichevo and Gostivar — the Southwestern and Polog planning regions — a significant transformation is taking place towards promoting gender equality and civic participation. Women, especially those from rural areas, are increasingly actively involved in creating local policies and solving problems in communities.
This change is being made within the project “The Voice of Rural Women” implemented by the Association of Women Farmers Moja Farma Gostivar, in partnership with the Institute for Education, Strategic Research and Analysis – Rural Think, Kichevo. The project is being implemented in the period January – September 2025 and aims to strengthen the capacities of municipalities for gender-responsive programming and at the same time to enable the direct involvement of citizens, especially women, in decision-making processes related to local development and social protection.
Through gender analyses, public debates, public policy documents and gender-responsive forums, the project managed to establish a bridge between institutions and communities, creating a basis for more inclusive and just local policies.
The project team carried out a gender analysis of three program documents in the two municipalities:
- Local Economic Development Program
- Social Protection Program
- Gender Equality Program
The analysis identified clear areas where a gender perspective was lacking and served as the basis for two public policy documents. Through visual materials and infographics, the results were presented to the public, in order to stimulate awareness and institutional response.
The two organised gender forums became platforms where over 70 citizens expressed their views, suggestions and challenges. The presence and activity of women from rural areas was particularly significant, and it was their statements that helped define six civic initiatives — three for each municipality.
Results that leave a mark:
- The capacities of municipalities for gender-responsive programming were established through the work of the Equal Opportunities Commissions.
- Active involvement of citizens in local decision-making processes.
- Increased awareness of gender equality and social inclusion, with a special focus on women from marginalized communities.
The initiatives that emerged from the forums will be promoted in the coming period, with the focus being on strengthening awareness and the practical application of gender-responsive budgeting.
This project is an example of how citizens — primarily women — can become direct agents of change. Through inclusion and dialogue, local democracy gains a new face: one that reflects the voice of the community.
“The Voice of Rural Women” is a project implemented by the Association of Women Farmers Moja Farma Gostivar, in partnership with the Institute for Education, Strategic Research and Analysis – Rural Think, Kicevo. This project is a sub-grant received within the “EU Support to the Civil Society Resource Centre – Phase 2” funded by the European Union.
