16 Days against family violence
 

The fight against violence must last
 

The world action "16 days against family violence" was traditionally marked in Macedonia from 24 November to 11 December. The MWOU organized several debates, tribunes, round tables and workshops.
The first debate, "Violence as a fact or fiction", took place on 27 November in Skopje, with representatives from NGO, the Faculty of Philosophy from Skopje, especially from the department of social work and policy and other guests. The Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Mr. Jovan Manasievski promoted the brochure "16 Days against family violence".

The MWOU carried out activities in other towns - a debate called "Tolerance as a factor for successful living took place in Struga and it was intended for high-school pupils; a tribune took place in Veles and a round table in Ohrid. A tribune called "Violence to women" took place on 2 December in Skopje.

-It is very important to mention that there is an SOS telephone line operating within our organization. There is also an office where victims of violence can be accommodated. It is most important to put an end to the violence, increase the number of refuges for the victims and establish new sectors within the police and the court that will make efforts to resolve this problem, say from MWOU.

The Association for emancipation, solidarity and equality - ESE is organizing a Campaign for fight against family violence called "Let us do at least something". The results from the field research called "The dark number of violence to women in the Republic of Macedonia" were announced. According to the results, 61.5% of women in our country are victims of any kind of mental violence. On 25 November at the "Holiday In" Hotel in Skopje, ESE and other organizations - members of the coordinative body for marking the "16 Days fight against family violence" gave a press-conference and an open tribune on "Retrospection of the activities carried out against family violence - coordinating the next steps for action in this field". A seminar for law specialists and lawyers who deal with cases of family violence in practice was organized from 6 to 8 November.

 

M.I.