| Major group affiliation: |
- Children and youth
- Local authorities
- Women
- Non-governmental organization
|
| Involvement in UN Partnerships: |
Yes |
| If yes, explain in detail: |
HERA has been working closely on different initiatives for improving sexual and reproductive health and rights with several UN offices in Skopje. The partnerships were focused on developing national policies and strategies, providing services, research and building capacities of the state institutions especially with UNICEF, UNWOMEN, UNIADS, WHO as well as with Human Rights Adviser Office of the UN Resident Coordinator. From 2014 HERA signed a MoU with the office of UNFPA and became an implementing partner. As an example along with UNICEF and UNFPA a Youth Friendly Center was established in 2006 and is still providing for SRH services to the Roma community. The UNAIDS representative was providing support in the advocacy process for improving the National HIV preventive program and budget and as well the advocacy for access to treatment. UNICEF is one of the partners in implementing the program on Roma Health Mediators, which is currently completely financed by the state. UNFPA office has support the peer education on comprehensive sexuality education as well as capacity building on modern contraception of medical professionals working in state health facilities. Several research on gender budgeting and gender based violence were done in partnership with UNWOMEN. Most recently HERA has been coordinating the national consultation process on post 2015 agenda and the SDGs with the UN partners and Ministry of social affairs and Ministry for Foreign affairs. |
| Affiliation with other organizations: |
- At National level: National Inter-sectoral Commission on HIV/AIDS; Coalition Sexual and Health Rights of Marginalized Communities; National Youth Council; Macedonian Platform against poverty; Y-PEER Macedonia; Gender platform; National Network against homophobia and transphobia.- At International Level: Member association of the IPPF - International Parenthood Planned Federation; ASTRA Network; European Parliamentary Forum for Population and Development; Y-PEER Network; Y-SAFE Network; AIDS Action EUROPE; MenEngage |
| Publications: |
Protocol on the procedure in front of the Commission for protection from discrimination in cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, 2015 (once); Needs assessment of people living in HIV in Macedonia, 2015 (quadrennial); Assessment on the access to sexual and reproductive health information in the schools in Macedonia, 2015 (once); Sexual and reproductive health of people with disabilities, 2014 (once); Family planning bulleting for the Members of Parliament, 2014 (quarterly); Need assessment of the Commission for protection from discrimination, 2015 (once); Gender analyses on the social policies and budgets on the level of local self-governments, 2013 (once); Roma Health Mediator, 2012-2013 (semiannual); Community score card: Roma seeking antenatal health care services 2012-2014, (annual); Society, gender, sexuality, sexual health and MSM in Macedonia Community-based research 2013 (once); Framework on Comprehensive sexuality education, 2012; After Four Years of Campaigning: Attitudes towards abortion among the general population and Gynecologists in Macedonia, 2013 (once); HIV Prevention Report Card for Men Having Sex with Men - Macedonia, 2012; HIV Prevention Report Card for Girls and Young Women- Macedonia, 2012; HIV Guide for the Members of Parliament, 2012; Sexual rights: IPPF declaration, 2010; |
| Affiliation with other organizations: |
MAPP Macedonian Anti-Poverty Platform |
| Publications: |
Gender analyses on the social policies and budgets on the level of local self-governments, 2013 (once) Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among families who use social support, 2013(once); Report on the access to social and health services for Roma families, 2010 (once); |
| Purpose of the organization: |
HERA works on improvement of human rights of all people in the field of sexual and reproductive health, based on the principles of social justice and gender equality, using strategies on advocacy, provision of education and services, as well as continuous systemic development and research. These are the strategic areas and objectives: - ADVOCACY Objective 1: Legislation, strategies and budgets of the Republic of Macedonia largely ensure enjoyment of sexual rights, freedom of choice and social equality. Objective 2: HERA plays an active role in protecting sexual rights, freedom of personal choice and social equality in the European region, particularly the Western Balkans. - EDUCATION AND SERVICES Objective 1: HERA provides accessible and high-quality services on sexual and reproductive health, with special attention to socially excluded groups. Objective 2: HERA provides high-quality and comprehensive sexual education. - DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH Objective 1: Strengthened capacities of institutions and civil organizations for promotion and education on sexual and reproductive health and sexual rights. Objective 2: HERA has built capacities on advocacy and mobilization of resources, as well as for application of methodology based research. - MOBILIZATION OF RESOURCES Objective 1: HERA can guarantee transparency and accountability of its operations. Objective 2: There is a continuous and upwards trend of collecting funds to provide sustainable program and financial development of the organization. |
| Activities relevant to the conference of States Parties to the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: |
Macedonia has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in which several articles (9, 16, 22, 23 and 25) have direct reference to SRHR of PWD. Although the Convention is ratified in practice the Desk research of national policies and programs related to CSE for PWD is indicating many challenges because of the a lack of community services that will help PWD in the process of full inclusion, independent living and family planning, and the full enjoyment of sexual rights. HERA was working with all relevant stakeholders to improve the access to SRHR for PWD, such as service providers, professionals in government institutions and daily care centres, special schools, students from the Faculty of Special education and rehabilitation, PWD and their parents. The parents were involved in the debates and education sessions in order to sensitize them about the importance of sexuality education. HERA published the Policy on sexuality of PWD that was prepared in consolation process involving the specialist, representatives from the Ministry of Health and the NGOs. Furthermore HERA along with partner NGOs developed the first manual for professionals on sexuality and disabilities and organised ToT, as well as educations in all of the daily centers in 23 cities all around the country. Also CSO’s platform for CSE for PWD was established and memorandum of understanding was signed with 7 organizations: Republic center for support of persons with intellectual disabilities “PORAKA”; Mobility Challenge; Movement against disability “Polio Plus”; Regional center for persons with intellectual disabilities “PORAKA NASA”; SOLEM; National Association for persons with physical disabilities of Macedonia “MOBILNOST”; Association of students and youth with disabilities and Association for blind and partially sighted people “Louis Braille”. These 7 CSO’s work with people with different type of disabilities, including: intellectual disability, physical disability, visual impairment and hearing impairment. By establishing the platform with these organizations we widened our advocacy activities and started to represent the SRHR needs of people with different types of disabilities. A round table was organised with the Inter Party Parliamentary Group. |
| Confirmation of the activities of the organization at the regional, national or international level: |
-In the framework of the Global Fund Program to Fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria HERA as secondary recipient is the responsible organization for conducting outreach HIV counseling and testing. The services are organized with partner NGOs in 11 cities around the country via mobile clinics that are targeting key populations: men having sex with men, sex workers, drug users and prisoners. -HERA organized a consultation process with several NGOs regarding additional information for the consideration to the Human Rights Committee in its adoption of a list of issues and concluding observation regarding the Third Periodical Report of the Republic of Macedonia under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. - HERA in 2015 along with International HIV Partnerships, the Lebanese Sexual Health Center, MARSA and the organization for support of people living with HIV, Stronger Together of Macedonia organized Inter-regional Cooperation and Exchange The Middle East and Central-and-South-Eastern Europe in Istanbul, Turkey. The main objective of the meeting was to strengthen the response to HIV, Hepatitis and other medical conditions related to sexual and mental health, by the communities in the countries with low HIV prevalence from the Middle East and Central-and-South-Eastern Europe, primarily via inter-regional cooperation and exchange, networking, capacity building and training efforts. -HERA conducted training on using New media in promoting sexual and reproductive rights for the representatives of the Member Association of the International Planned Parenthood Federation coming from Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania. -In the framework of the partnership with the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development organized a debate with the Members of the Macedonian Parliament with the Lord Fowler, Former Health Secretary and one of the leader politicians on HIV prevention in the United Kingdom on the importance of the National Assembly for the HIV. After the meeting the first all-party parliamentarian group on HIV was established. |
| A list of members of the governing body of the organization, and their countries of nationality: |
Iva Mihajlovska, president, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Hristina Nestorovska, secretary, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Katerina Spasovska, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Despina Dimitrova, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Andrej Senih, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. |
| Description of the membership of the organization, indicating the total number of members: |
The number of members of HERA is 113. A great part of them are young people younger than 24 years and there are more than 50% that are women. The membership is diverse by professional background, gender identity and sexual orientation, ethnicity as well place of residence. The direct beneficiaries coming from the youth, people living with HIV and Roma are also part of the membership. |
| Affiliation with other organizations: |
ASTRA Network The Gender Network The national Network against violence against women |
| Publications: |
Community score card: Roma seeking antenatal health care services 2012-2014, (annual) HIV Prevention Report Card for Girls and Young Women- Macedonia, 2012 Family planning bulletin for the Members of Parliament, 2014 (quarterly) Gender analyses on the social policies and budgets on the level of local self-governments, 2013 (once) |
Statements or documents submitted
to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women:
|
Shadow report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (HERA contributed to the drafting of this document) http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/ESEandAkcijaZdruzenska_FYROM_ForTheSession_CEDAW54.pdf |
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