The project 'Women Can Do It II - Parliamentary Elections 2006' is the second nationwide OSCE-supported project by UWOM, which unites women's organizations from across the country and facilitates their co-operation with political parties, the Parliament and other state institutions in promoting gender equality.

Increasing women's involvement

Although women have become more politically active in recent years, greater efforts can still be made to increase their involvement in community life and their representation in state structures and institutions.

The UWOM project aims to equip women from the main political parties with the skills and knowledge they need to influence political party platforms and to create an effective women's network across the country. Activities focus on developing strong leadership, mediation and negotiation skills. Participants also learn about state institutions and legislation, and practical matters such as fundraising strategies.

"We know how to do it and we are confident that we can do it," says Savka Todorovska, the energetic leader of the women's movement and President of UWOM. "The OSCE Mission's support gives us the boost needed to make it happen."

Greater representation at all levels

The Government requested the Skopje Mission's assistance in ensuring that recommendations made by the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights were included in the ongoing election reform process. One of those recommendations was to increase women's representation in election administration at all levels.

UWOM is also actively involved in this process, and its activities aim to bring about changes in the election law to guarantee proportional distribution of the gender quota in party lists.

"The current project builds on our previous achievements," says Todorovska. "When the Law on Local Elections was amended before the last municipal vote in spring 2005, the quota for women in party lists was increased to 30 per cent. As a result, the number of female municipal councillors rose from 8 to 22 per cent."

Thanks to similar lobbying efforts, the current Parliamentary Elections Law also includes a 30 per cent gender quota, which has helped increase women's representation in the Parliament. The quota would, however, have had a greater impact had it required equal distribution of both genders across each party candidates list (as is the case with the local election law) and an enforcement mechanism to oversee the application of the law.

There are plans to pass a revised Parliamentary Elections Law in early 2006 and should include a more effective gender quota provision that will allow more women candidates to make it to the top of the lists.

Encouraging a more active role

The Unit for the Promotion of Gender Equality in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy - which is also supporting the project - is providing valuable input on implementation.

Elena Grozdanova, Head of the Unit, explains that the project supports the aims of the National Action Plan for the promotion of gender equality: "We back all civil society activities that encourage women to take a more active role in decision-making."

"The project also falls in line with the OSCE Gender Action Plan," says Andrew Palmer, the Program Director for Institution Building with the Mission's Rule of Law Unit.

"This project is a good example of how we encourage strong partnerships between the state and civil society. Such co-operation is fundamental to healthy democracies."

Raising awareness essential for success

Reaching out to women not yet politically active is another big part of the project. "The aim of the public awareness campaign is to communicate the importance of having more women in higher positions in decision-making structures," says Elena Gulmadova, Rule of Law Officer with the Mission "Raising awareness is essential for the success of projects like these."

UWOM also organized a national conference - 'For Equal Opportunities - More Women Elected During 2006 Parliamentary Elections' - that allowed representatives of political parties, government, NGOs and the media to develop joint strategies to increase the participation of women. Project organizers are able to use the media to keep voters informed.

Nada Simovska, a mother from Pehcevo, has been active in politics since the age of 17. "I've been elected several times to the municipality and have always promoted gender equality," she explains. "As a paediatrician, I talk to women every day, explaining why politics is not only for men and why it's important to be politically active.

"Many women are well-educated and intelligent, but stay home to take care of their husbands and children. I will use my new skills to encourage them to change their lives and improve life in our beautiful country."