Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, where the focus was on women's rights and the situation with gender equality and corruption, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of good governance policies, Slavica Grkovska emphasized that women's struggle has lasted for centuries and they are constantly pushing boundaries, that's why that they simply have to

They fight against inequality, violence, economic and political powerlessness, against exclusion from decision-making processes. Research shows that where women's rights are fully enjoyed, where women are represented in decision-making, corruption is lower, said Grkovska.

She emphasized that acquired rights as the greatest benefit of civilization must be constantly protected from violation or deprivation.

He who is against the advancement of human rights is against the progress of the entire community, because he aims at excluding groups from social flows. Those who commit sexual extortion against women or keep them in slavery are certainly involved in other forms of corruption, stressed Deputy Prime Minister Grkovska.

In the context of the topic, she reminded of Catherine Johnson, a female hero, who managed with her knowledge, persistence, insubordination, to overcome all the obstacles she faced on her professional path and literally conquer the American society. She was the first African-American woman, who at the end of the fifties and the beginning of the sixties of the last century, at NASA headquarters, with her mathematical knowledge and skills, made the most significant contribution to the development of the space program, which is considered one of the greatest successes of humanity.

She emphasized that Catherine faced various forms of discrimination – gender discrimination, racial discrimination, and that in extremely difficult times when human rights from this perspective were not even discussed at all, and women in science were represented at the level of a statistical error.

Let's not forget that the forces that advocate for the regression of the rights of women or marginalized groups are actually anti-democratic forces and carry within themselves the urge for supremacy, for rule by force, for selectivity and closure. It is not the kind of government we want, because it harms people, peace, and freedom. That is why women must be at the front of the fight for good governance, Grkovska added in her address.

Women must continue to fight for themselves, but also build alliances to fight against phenomena and practices that undermine development, such as corruption, because, says Grkovska, corruption is a strong factor that makes it impossible to get out of poverty and because of which people do not have equal access to goods, services and opportunities to develop a better life and standard, the statement said.