Skopje, 7 March 2024 (MIA) - Minister of Defence Slavjanka Petrovska and National Council for Gender Equality President Savka Todorovska signed on Thursday a Memorandum of Cooperation as a basis for the development of cooperation in the area of gender equality and gender perspective.

Minister Petrovska pointed out that the National Council for Gender Equality's vision in terms of the promotion of women's rights as human rights and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women in order to build a society of equal opportunities fully coincides with the values ​​of the Defence and the Army, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release.

"The memorandum will be the basis for closer cooperation. Gender sensitive issues are extremely important to us. We will prepare a joint action plan including concrete activities and precise dynamics, and we are convinced that your suggestions and the joint work will lead to even better results," said Minister Petrovska. 

Petrovska noted that cooperation with the NGO sector, especially on issues of priority social importance, is more than welcome, adding that the Ministry is open to all initiatives showing that both the defence and the Army are institutions that know no discrimination, that the gender perspective is strongly engraved in the awareness of all employees and that the only criterion for progress is the professionalism and dedication of each employee and each member of the Army.

National Council for Gender Equality President Todorovska thanked the Minister and the Ministry for the willingness to develop new joint initiatives in the area of gender equality, noting that this is the right path to a completely equal society free from discrimination on any basis.

According to the Ministry, the Defence carries the National Action Plan on the implementation of Resolution 1325, 'Women, Peace and Security', which shows that this issue is at the top of the Defence Ministry's priorities. The Ministry at the institutional level is a leader in the implementation of policies and practices for gender equality, and the gender perspective is integrated in the strategic documents of the Defence and the Army. 

Photo: Ministry of Defence