The Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole (OWMSN), along with nine other municipalities, participated in realizing the project “Only Healthy Citizens Build Healthy Societies.” The bearer of the project was EHO (Educative – Humanitarian Organization) from Stip and the project was financed by The Balkan Trust for Democracy, a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The goal of the project is to produce a regional strategy for Bregalniza river & Strumica region including plans for issues such as strengthening the capacity of the government organizations, and creating more active participation in creating the public political arena of health protection including both representatives from the local authorities and health workers from the municipalities of: Sveti Nikole, Kochani, Strumica, Vinica, Stip, Probi Stip, Berovo, Pechevo, Delchevo, and Radovis.

The first two-day workshop with the theme “Network for Influencing Health Politics” was held in September 2007 and had the goal of developing cooperation between the relevant institutions (public & private health organizations), local authorities and non-government organizations from the region who work in the sphere of health protection. The other series of workshops were realized in the period of October to the end of December 2007 with the theme: “Opportunities for Citizen Participation in Creating Health Policy, Examining Technical Exams, Methods of Analyzing and Constructing the Strategy and Action Plan.” It is planned that the regional strategy will be created and promoted in February 2008.

The project encompasses a series of trainings (two one-day workshops, one two-day and one three-day workshop) for representatives of associations of citizens of the local authority and health workers, with the supreme goal of creating a local action plan for preventative health protection as well as preparation and promotion of the regional strategy for preventative health protection.

Daniela Paneva
Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole

The Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole began a project in February 2007 to offer computer skills courses for young, unemployed people, ages 18-30 years, from the Municipality of Sveti Nikole. This project was financed by e-Macedonia, A.D. Macedonian Telecommunications and its goal was to increase the number of practiced youth in the following areas: computer and internet usage, how to be informed in a quick and timely fashion, and how to increase opportunities for employment using computers. This program was promoted by the national television station – Citel; the daily newspaper – Dnevnik; Radio Free Europe; local radio of Sveti Nikole; and the local television station – TV Svet.

By October 2007, upon conclusion of this project, 124 unemployed youth were trained; 34 on Windows XP and Microsoft Word, 37 on Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint, and 53 on basic internet skills. Fifteen of these unemployed youth were successful in finding work and 30 more applied for new jobs. All participants received certificates upon completion of the courses.

Quotations from some of the participants:

- “If there weren’t any of these computer courses, I would not have had an opportunity to study working on the computer.” Sasko Nikolovski

- “This was great for me. Now, I studied how, through the internet, to speak and converse with my international friends.” - Danica Dudas

- “I don’t have a computer at home and because I am a young person, but I have a big need to understand information technology and this is my opportunity to achieve it. Thank you.” - Makedonka Stoiileva

Campaign “16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women”

The organization of Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole as a part of the project “Improving the Position of Women” financed by the Swedish Foundation Kvinna Till Kvinna, realized the activities within the frames of the international campaign “16 Days Against Violence Against Women” which took place from the 20^th of November to the 6^th of December 2007. In the frames of this campaign activists from the Organization of Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole made violet colored ribbons – a symbol of the fight against family violence – and informational brochures that were distributed to women in Sveti Nikole.

On the 29^th of November 2007, a television broadcast took place on the local television station TV Svet. The broadcast was titled “16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women.” The goal of the broadcast was to open up a discussion about family violence as a serious problem in society and the need to for the State to take a greater responsibility protecting women who are victims of family violence.

The guests on the television broadcast were a representative from the Organization of Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Center`s for Social Work from Skopje and Sveti Nikole.

This project was financed by the Agency of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Macedonia and consisted of series of workshops for the period between August and November of 2007 in the Municipality of Sveti Nikole. The workshops took place at the Vavilon Youth Center in Sveti Nikole. The target groups of the workshops were boys & girls, ages 15-25 years, from varying socio-economic backgrounds and ethnicities. The youth were from the rural areas of Pesirovo, Mustafino, Ergelija, Crniliste, Amzabegovo, and Gorobinci and from Sveti Nikole. Workshop topics included healthy lifestyles, non-violent conflict resolution, gender relationships & stereotypes, and the National Youth Strategy for the Republic of Macedonia. The youth were very satisfied with the workshops and through their lively discussions it was determined that there is a great need to have more workshops on these topics.

On 20 October 2007, within the same frame of this project, a football tournament was organized with eight teams. Six teams consisted of six youth from each of the rural areas above. One team consisted of youth from the Vavilon Center – Sveti Nikole and one team from Jagodina Serbia. The tournament was devoted to the tragic death of music star Tose Proeski. The tournament was attended by the project coordinator Ljupka Antova and was opened by Vera Zlateva, president of Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole. All youth received certificates of participation and the tournament was broadcasted on the local television station, “SVET”.

After the creation of the “Local Youth Strategy” a project financed by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Macedonia, the Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole held a public meeting to promote “The National Strategy for Youth in the Republic of Macedonia”. The goal of the strategy is to improve the position of youth through their active involvement in resolving direct and current youth problems.

At the public meeting there was a presentation of “The National Strategy for Youth in Macedonia” from the side of Mr. Trajce Kostov (Representative from the Agency of Youth and Sport with the government of the Republic of Macedonia) and Ms. Dragana Mitrovik (Regional Assistant of the Coalition of Youth Associations “SEGA” from the regional office in the Municipality of Stip). President of the Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole, Vera Zlateva, participated in the public meeting as well as the Mayor, Slobodan Danevski. Mayor Danevski acknowledged and supported the idea for preparation of the local strategy for youth like equal members of society. Seventy young people attended as well as members of the Mayor’s advisors of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole and other representatives from the non-government sector such as members of the local municipality and representatives of the media.

Over the course of the month of October The Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole, working within the framework of the project “Improving the Position of Women” financed by the Swedish organization Kvinna Til Kvinna, took part in the international campaign for the fight against breast cancer. During this month, members of a group of women who suffer from malignant diseases created pink ribbons and handed them out to women in the municipality. Along with the ribbons, the women distributed brochures about the fight against breast cancer.

20 October, 2007 was the International Day in the Fight Against Osteoporosis. On 27 October, The Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole organized a public meeting with the theme of “Osteoporosis in Women”. The presenter of the public meeting was Mrs. Snezana Markovik Temelkovska – President of the Macedonian Association for Osteoporosis. The public meeting was attended by 60 women. These women were introduced to the dangers of carrying this disease, the means of early diagnosis & prevention, and the ways to treat it. At the end of the meeting, 42 women scheduled appointments for diagnosis of osteoporosis.

During the largest anti-racism campaign in Europe – With Football Against Racism.

FARE (www.farenet.org) organized activities with the theme of “With Football Against Racism” in 37 countries around Europe from 18-30 October 2007. The youth program of the Organization of the Women in the Municipality of Sveti Nikole, the Vavilon Center, took part in this campaign for the 4^th time.

On 21 October at the sports field of the primary school “Kiril & Metodi” in Sveti Nikole, the final football tournament was organized. The participants were from: The Association for the Development of Volunteer Work from Jagodina Serbia, the youth team from Pesirovo, the youth team from Gorobinci, and the youth team from the Vavilon Center in Sveti Nikole. The teams were mixed in gender and ethnicity.

The proposal from the youth was to devote the tournament to the tragic death of the Balkan music star, lover of sport and humanitarian – Tose Proeski. Once again, the participating youth said that the world is a better place to live in when we are equal and celebrating the same things. With hope, next year’s activities will be more successful and will include even a greater number of participants.

The Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole, from 1 June to 31 August 2007, realized the project “How Different We Are Yet Still the Same” financed and supported by the Ecumenical Women’s Fund of Solidarity – Omish, Croatia.

The framework of this project included creation of brochures, of the same project title, that included information and photographs related to religion, symbols and primary characteristics of Christianity, Orthodox, Catholicism, and Islam.

From 20-22 July 2008, the seminar “How Different We Are Yet Still the Same” was realized. The goal of the seminar was for participants to become familiar with and accept the traditions, culture, and customs of different religious communities and with it make steps toward the construction of mutual religious tolerance and overcome stereotypes and prejudices.

Twenty participants over the age of 20 from NGO’s around the Republic of Macedonia attended the seminar. Participants were from different nationalities – Macedonian, Albanian, Serbian, Turkish, Vlach, and Roma; different religions – Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and Islam and the workshops had the following four themes – identity, dialogue, dialogue between religions, and overcoming apprehensions from differences.

The seminar also included a traditional dinner where participants prepared and presented food typical of their religious communities. Participants explained when the food was eaten (e.g. holidays), how the food was prepared and the symbolism or meaning behind it.

With the goal of providing protection and better access to the legal system for marginalized women from Sveti Nikole, the Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole has begun implementation of the Program for Free Legal Help which involves providing advisory services, correct definition of legal norms, preparation of letters for submission, informing and referencing to qualified institutions.

The program for free legal help is a project activity of the Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole and is financed by the Swiss organization Kvinna Til Kvinaa.

The office for free legal help works professionally giving free legal advice in the domain of family and martial relationship and criminal and legal relationships. The office works on the principle of confidentiality and is open every working day from 11:00 to 15:00.

In conjunction with the international holiday, International Women’s Day on the 8^th of March, The Organization of the Women of the Municipality of Sveti Nikole (OWMSV) distributed brochures throughout the city for “Early Detection of Malignant Diseases in Women” and for “Osteoporosis”. This activity paralleled with the international fight against cancer, the fight against osteoporosis, as well as the diseases most often affecting women.

Along with this holiday, memorial flowers were brought to the city park to remember the women who devoted their lives to freeing Macedonia.

At the hall of the general assembly of the municipality, womens NGO’s who work in the municipality presented their program activities. OWMSV presented their activities and the achieved successes in promoting the plight of women’s reproductive health and the largest achieved success, the success of lobbying for introducing gynaecological exams for women. Moreover, OWMSV has had sufficient successes in educating youth on prevention of human trafficking as well as the 5-year continuation of the centre for children and youth – Vavilon.

From the side of the children of the Vavilon Center, a modest presentation was carried out by the children who celebrated the holiday with the women of the municipality.

On the 4^th of March, the organization traditionally organized the 8^th of March celebration to include 250 women. The celebration was followed by a rich lottery of about 250 prizes provided by local businessmen. In this lottery, over 24,000 denars was collected.

The means received from the lottery were assigned to support the company for the fight against cancer as well as program activities of OWMSV Sveti Nikole for the 2006 year.