Finance Think is an organization that actively works to improve the impact of economic, social and development trends and policies on citizens in North Macedonia and the Western Balkans region, through economic research, evidence-based and data-driven advocacy, and fostering critical debate about the economic processes. Research conducted by Finance Think helps policymakers, opinion makers, economic journalists and the public to better understand the economic and social issues that affect citizens.
The project “Gender Equality in the Workplace: Monitoring at the Local Level “ which is financially supported by FOSM aims to promote and encourage gender equality and non-discrimination in employment processes and in the workplace. With this project, several aspects of the issue of gender equality and non-discrimination in employment and in the workplace with a focus on the municipality of Prilep will be analyzed in more depth.
According to statistics, the Macedonian labor market is facing serious gender inequality. The employment rate for women (38.6%) is much lower than for men (52.3%). In addition, only 47.4% of women who are fit for work in the country are active, compared to 66.6% of the men. Furthermore, employed women face other types of inequality: lower wages, underemployment, discrimination against pregnancy and parenting, etc. Women are more often unpaid family workers and more often receive lower wages than men. The existence of a significant gender gap in the labor market in the country is noted in the latest EU Report on the Progress of North Macedonia.
Although discrimination in the employment process is prohibited in North Macedonia, the most common cause of discrimination is in the field of labor rights, with gender discrimination being the most common. Despite this situation, in the country, especially at the local level, very little or no funds are allocated for activities that will promote gender equality. Female workers and job candidates in the country are in a less favorable position than male, and the true roots of gender inequality and discrimination remain unclear.
The project “Gender Equality in the Workplace: Monitoring at the Local Level” focuses primarily on examining the roots of gender inequality and discrimination in employment and the workplace, but also on raising awareness and knowledge of workers for protection against gender discrimination. All of this will help policymakers make informed decisions based on evidence, data and recommendations and encourage social dialogue between workers, employers and policymakers.
The planned activities of the project – analyzes, recommendations of public policy documents, meetings, local campaigns, information publications – include active cooperation with workers, employers, local authorities, media and civil society organizations and policymakers in the municipality of Prilep. The implementation of the recommendations that will emerge from the research and analysis, but also the increased public awareness, in the long run, will contribute to greater gender equality and prevention of discrimination in employment and the workplace.
“Gender Equality in the Workplace: Monitoring at the Local Level” is one of 15 projects of CSOs fully supported by FOSM to implement activities that will contribute to a better understanding of the process of EU accession of the Republic of North Macedonia.
For more information on the work of Finance Think and the activities of the project, follow them on their website and Facebook page.
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27 May 2020