2007 European year of equal opportunitis for all

– Towards a just society in Macedonia -

2007 has been designated as the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All. This initiative of the European Commission was endorsed in a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe, adopted on 17 May 2006.

The aim of the Year is to launch a major debate on the benefits of diversity on European level. It will also seek to make people in the European Union more aware of their rights to enjoy equal treatment and a life free of discrimination. The Year is the centrepiece of a framework strategy on non-discrimination and equal opportunities, which the European Commission put forward in June 2005. The aim of this framework strategy is to apply and promote the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, disability, age and sexual orientation in the European Union. The strategy also looks at what more the European Union can do to tackle discrimination and promote equality, over and above the legal protection of people's rights to equal treatment.

Fostering equal opportunities for all means changing public attitudes by promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity as well as awareness of the benefits diversity can bring. It also means mobilising all policies that can help to promote equality and non-discrimination, increasing awareness of and stimulating debate on the key barriers to a more just and inclusive society, and looking beyond the concerns of individual groups.

This requires a proactive strategy vis-à-vis the public at large, and a European Year is an appropriate vehicle for launching such a strategy. European Years are aimed at a range of stakeholders with the view to publicising, debating and exchanging views on a specific theme. They are an effective instrument for raising awareness. Furthermore, experience of past European Years shows that the broad level of participation within a limited time-frame has successfully contributed to harnessing political support and paving the way for broader political commitments. European Years have also been seen as an effective way of creating synergies between different areas of policy-making at EU, Member States and regional/local levels.

Why Macedonia in the European Year of Equal Opportunities?

For Macedonia, this Year presents an opportunity not to be missed. Although RM is still on the road to European Integration, this campaign can serve to be a strong example and inspiration as our country strives to resolve our own issues related to discrimination of marginalized groups, as well as bringing us closer to membership in the Europe Union. Through effective awareness raising and cooperation among different stakeholders in society, 2007 can be the year that the Government, NGO sector and citizens in Macedonia work together to make real inroads in combating discrimination, and show that Equal Opportunities for All is a goal that all sectors in society take seriously, and are committed to working toward.

In a country where even the legal protection of many groups has yet to be assured, the example of the European Year of Equal Opportunities carries an important message that needs to be broadcast throughout Macedonia. Drawing attention to this Year by conducting a parallel campaign based on the same principles and goals will contribute to the process of changing the public mindset to one of increased tolerance toward diversity, while combating the acceptance of discrimination as just a normal part of life. In addition, it can significantly aid the efforts of different groups in the country that are currently working toward creating legislation that will lead to a society where the rights of all members are respected, by gaining public support (and in turn, pressure on policy makers) for enactment of these laws.

In the process of Euro-Integration, one of the most pressing issues that Macedonia must resolve is to remove the existing discrimination of marginalized groups in society, including women, persons with disability, the elderly, Roma, and other ethnic groups. Inclusion in the European Union is a common goal held by most in Macedonia; raising awareness that combating discrimination is a crucial step toward achieving this aim will further motivate the Government, NGO and business sectors, and citizens to step up efforts toward creating conditions of equal opportunities.