Engaging male allies from religious and traditional communities in North Macedonia in supporting gender equality

The overall objective of this meeting is to support men from traditional and religious communities in North Macedonia in their efforts to advance gender equality, and to strengthen male ally networks where they emerge. The meeting modalities include consultation, constructive exchange of ideas and allyship-building.

The specific objectives are to:

• Enhance understanding of the overlaps between religious, faith-based and traditional communities on the one hand and the human rights framework on the other hand;
• Support male allies’ efforts to address violence against women and contribute to representation of women’s voices in community;
• Discuss opportunities for religious and traditional community leaders as male allies to engage in dialogue with the gender equality community;
• Support emerging networks of male allies, including through network activity plans.

Participants

The event brings together up to 25 participants coming from diverse religious and traditional communities in North Macedonia, as well as form civil society organizations working on women’s rights and the issue of violence against women. The participants, men and women, come from Macedonian Orthodox, Muslim, Catholic, Jewish, Methodist and traditional communities, as well as the women’s movement, Academia, and the Commission for Relations with Religious Communities and Groups. Representatives of the OSCE Mission to Skopje are involved in the event as observers.