Presented Audit Report on the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in North Macedonia

The event was held as part of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, highlighting the urgent need for all institutions and communities to unite in building a society where every woman and girl can live free from fear and violence.
The State Auditor General, Maksim Acevski, emphasized the importance of auditing as a powerful tool for strengthening protection systems, ranging from timely risk assessment to clear institutional coordination and effective implementation of laws and protocols.
International partners, the Embassy of Switzerland in North Macedonia 🇨🇭 and Embassy of Sweden in Skopje 🇸🇪, highlighted the importance of strong institutions, transforming gender norms, and ensuring equal access for women to services, the labour market, and protection mechanisms. They noted that the Istanbul Convention represents a key international instrument for safeguarding the dignity, equality, and safety of women.
In her remarks, our Head of Office, Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, reminded that “violence against women is the most severe form of discrimination and a direct violation of human rights.” She emphasized that “the Convention clearly defines all forms of violence, physical, sexual, psychological, and economic, as serious threats to the lives and wellbeing of women and girls. Women are not weak, nor a vulnerable category. This is a call for solidarity because real change depends on all of us.”
Key findings from the audit showed that the protection system remains fragmented, underfunded, and lacking an integrated approach, with support for victims often delayed or insufficient. The need for clear coordination, stable funding, full licensing of service providers, and stronger implementation of existing protocols was underlined.
Expert presentations pointed to the practical challenges faced by women victims and the absence of a fully integrated institutional response; international practices and emerging risks, such as technology-facilitated violence, were shared, along with additional guidance for strengthening national mechanisms.
The event concluded with a shared commitment: preventing and eliminating violence against women is a collective responsibility. UN Women will continue working with institutions to advance the implementation of the audit recommendations, with the goal of building a system that ensures safety, accessibility, and dignity for all women and girls.