Debate in Parliament: There are numerous challenges faced by women from rural areas

Photo: MIA

Rural women face a huge number of problems and challenges – lack of health care, insufficient cultural and social exposure, lack of quality informal education, inaccessibility of transport, low wages and informal unpaid work. These are part of the conclusions highlighted at today's public debate on "Gender equality of rural women through their inclusion in the labor market".

The public debate was held within the framework of the session of the Parliamentary Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in relation to the annual report from the State Audit Office.

Orhan Ademi, deputy chief state auditor at the public hearing emphasized that based on the results of the audit, they gained reasonable assurance that the measures and activities for gender equality of women from rural areas through their inclusion in the labor market, which are undertaken by the competent institutions, are not sufficiently efficient and effective in order to include rural women in the labor market and keep them in rural areas. It emphasizes that stereotypes and discrimination must be eliminated, the rural woman wants, can and knows how to secure her future, become a successful entrepreneur, build a better tomorrow for overall social progress.

They determined that the national strategies in the area create a good basis for the development of rural areas, but it is necessary to define measures and activities that will be adapted for women from rural areas and their inclusion in the labor market. He pointed out that women from rural areas and their inclusion in the labor market are not part of the strategic priorities and goals of the Government. By defining it as a strategic priority, he said, the state will not only help to improve the condition of women from rural areas, but will also affect stopping or reducing the process of emigration from rural areas of the population living in these rural areas.

"There are measures that contribute to the improvement of the situation of rural women, such as the first gender-responsive measures 115 - support of an active female member in the agricultural economy, as well as measures for the inclusion of women from rural areas in the labor market, which were created by The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, such as measure 112 - Assistance to young farmers to start an agricultural activity and measure 7 - Diversification of farms and business development," said the Deputy Chief State Auditor.

Ademi emphasizes that it is necessary to adopt measures to increase the number of registered female farmers and holders of agricultural holdings through appropriate valuation of their work, as well as the need for legal amendments to recognize their rights to social benefits, including sick leave, parental leave and pensions .

"It is necessary to design direct measures that will enable the inclusion of women in rural areas in the labor market, the inclusion of women from rural areas at the national and local level in the creation and design of measures in order to make the process of inclusion of women more efficient from rural areas on the labor market, greater support for women from rural areas through field visits and promotion of the measures implemented by the state for their opportunities, the method and procedures for their application and use. It is necessary to increase the number of institutions for the care and upbringing of children and homes for the elderly as one of the most important prerequisites for women from rural areas to be included in the labor market, as well as the improvement of public services for women from rural areas ( health, social, cultural, public services, etc.). In the Gender Equality Strategy for the period 2022-2027, as a key strategic document, it is established that in rural areas, women's empowerment is needed in terms of managing agricultural property and land, as well as building their self-confidence and decision-making capacities. as he said, the empowerment of women from rural areas should also be aimed at building their capacities and knowledge for applying in programs for financial support in agriculture, but also in other programs where opportunities are offered for opening one's own business and self-employment, such as and diversification of activities in rural areas and contribution to their sustainability through the opening of small businesses (which are not primarily related to agriculture) such as local hairdressers, shops for making and selling traditionally made products, development of rural tourism..." Ademi said.

The president of the state, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, emphasized that the most important thing is for all people, including women from rural areas, to get involved in the economy.

"Women in rural areas are the backbone of the community in which they live. When I say community, I don't mean the family community, I mean the social setting. Not only do they play a key role, but these days we saw it in Veles, they are incredibly innovative in agriculture. When I say pillar, many of the family ministries carry them on their backs or in their minds and contribute to the family budget, of course they are careful about its spending. That is why they are very important. And since they were not involved in the processes, they are much less involved in decision-making, much less corrupt and criminalized," Siljanovska Davkova said.

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