Skopje, 13 July 2022 (MIA) - In the fight against violence against women and domestic violence we must speak up in order to prevent it and discourage potential perpetrators of such violence, Minister of Labor and Social Polict Jovanka Trenchevska said Wednesday at a news conference promoting a campaign raising awareness about violence against women and girls. The We Are With You campaign is implemented by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy in cooperation with the Dutch embassy in Skopje. According to the Minister, national awareness raising campaigns should be the practice since it is a tool for recognizing violence where traditional stereotypes prevail and where there is unbalanced distribution of power within the family. "Speaking up and acting loudly against gender-based violence enhances the fight and makes us even stronger to win this important battle. Campaigns launched like today's is a reminder that to be vocal and take concrete actions is the most powerful weapon in eliminating all forms of violence," said Trenchovska. In 2021, the Labor Ministry passed the law on prevention and protection from violence against women and domestic violence, she recalled. The government, Trenchevska added, set up a national coordination body to implement the Council of Europe convention for the fight against violence against women and domestic violence that is tasked with monitoring policies in the area of gender-based violence and domestic violence. In his address, Dutch Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop said that the project launch today "shouldn't end here." He said he welcomes the adoption of the new law urging the legislation to be implemented in practice. Violence against women and girls, said the Ambassador, is still wide-spread, but it is our duty to make this issue to be always the center of attention. Also, Minister Trenchevska said the number of people reporting violence is on the rise. "An increase in the measures used by the victims of violence has been reported. The rising number of reports suggests that victims are becoming more and more encouraged to speak up thanks to the campaigns and the works of social centers," she concluded.