VISA LIBERALIZATION IN THE EAP COUNTRIES

CRPM implemented the Project “Paving the path for visa free travel between the EU and the EaP countries” ,financed by the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative and OSI New York. The goal of the project is to create a tipping-point for the achievement of visa-free relations between the Eastern Partnership countries and EU member-states, and in the process to upgrade the le­gal and policy processes in the EaP countries and promote closer integration and people-to-people exchange and con­tacts between the Eastern Partnership countries and EU member-states.

 

BASELINE STUDY ON RURAL WOMEN

The project Baseline study on rural women was implemented with the support ofUN Women.It addressed the lack of evidence to define adequate resources requirements for effecting implementation of policies in area of rural development, gender equality, social protection and social inclusion that can positively affect rural women. Therefore most of the project activities were related to building an information base about the livelihood in rural areas and identify the challenges the rural women face. They were translated into research, analysis and writing of a comprehensive study on rural women.

 

ADVOCATING FOR BRAIN GAIN POLICIES IN MACEDONIA

The Center for Research and Policy Making continued the cooperation with the Grupa 484 from Belgrade also in the 2011. After the success of the previous project and its paper “Developing brain gain policies in Macedonia: pitfalls and challenges” , this year we were local partner from Macedonia in the regional project “Advocating for “Brain Gain” Policies aimed at Reintegration of High-skilled Returnees in the Western Balkans”. The project objectives were to identify the obstacles for reintegration of high-skilled returnees in the Western Balkans, to introduce the key stakeholders in the region of the Western Balkans with possibilities for improving reintegration of high-skilled returnees and regional cooperation in developing joint educational and research area and to support development of policies and measures in the region of the Western Balkans that would improve reintegration of high-skilled returnees.

 

CONFERENCE: ONE DECADE AFTER THE OHRID FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT. LESSONS (TO BE) LEARNED FROM THE MACEDONIAN EXPERIENCE

The Center for Research and Policy Making, in partnership with the local offices of the German political foundations Kondrad Adenauer Stiftung and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, as well as the Think Tank Fund of the Institute Open Society from Budapest, organized an international scholarly conference dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. The conference, named “One Decade after Ohrid Framework Agreement: Lessons to be Learned from the Macedonian Experience” was held in Skopje.

Speakers at the opening of the conference were the resident representatives of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Kondrad Adenauer Stiftung, Mr. Heinz Bongartz and Ms. Anja Czymmeck and the director of the Open Society Institute Think-Tank fund, Mr. Goran Buldioski. Mr. Abdulaqim Ademi , Vice-Prime Minister of the Government of Republic of Macedonia, responsible for the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement and Professor Florian Bieber from the University of Graz were the special guest speakers at the opening session.

In total, twenty five papers were presented within the seven panels of the conference.

  • Panel 1: The conflict, the agreement and the reconciliation: 2001 then and now
  • Panel 2: Political belonging in post-2001 Macedonia: the authority of “ethnic identities”
  • Panel 3: The Ohrid Framework Agreement in the Southeast European context
  • Panel 4: Decentralization reform after OFA: towards greater power sharing or effective and efficient service delivery?
  • Panel 5: Equitable representation for “non-majority communities” in Macedonia – Until when?
  • Panel 6: The future of Macedonia and the region
  • Panel 7: Lessons learned
  • Special panel on the initiative for RECOM

 

CRPM CONFERENCE: 20 YEARS INDEPENDENCE OF MACEDONIA: ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND POLICY DEVELOPMENTS’?

The Center for Research and Policy Making and the School of Public Policy “Mother Theresa”, in partnership with FON University, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, office Skopje (FES) and Open Society Institute Think Tank Fund (TTF) organized an international academic conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Macedonia titled ‘Twenty Years of Macedonian Independence: economic, political and policy developments’? The panels discussed the different implications and opportunities for Macedonia regarding the 20 years from its independence.

The panels where in the following order:

  • Panel 1: Twenty years of economic development in Macedonia: issues and challenges
  • Panel 2: Nation-building / nation branding in Macedonia
  • Panel 3: Issues and Challenges for Macedonia
  • Panel 4: Multicultural policies in Macedonia implications for the region and beyond
  • Panel 5: Macedonia and the EU: love at second sight
  • Panel 6: Twenty years of the democratic Constitution: legal and political development since 1991

 

CRPM CONFERENCE: “MAPPING THE LEADERS IN MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA: CAN ELITES PROMOTE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE?”

Regarding the ending of the project “Mapping the leaders in Macedonia and Albania: can elites promote positive social change?” the Centre for Research and Policy Making organized conference on 06.10.2011 where the publication and the findings were presented.

The theme of the book and the presentations were dedicated to the attitude of the elites before the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the elites today in terms of important social issues such as attitude toward minorities, gender and multicultural issues, general attitude to the past before 1991 and the situation today.

It was discussed what is the motivation of the political elites for their party activities, how citizens see the communist past and the situation today, possibilities for consensus of the elites, etc. Analyst from the think tanks from Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro presented their findings regarding the topic which were included in the final publication.

 

EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT FOR SUPPORTING ROMA STUDENTS THROUGH SECONDARY SCHOOL BY PROVIDING MENTORING AND SCHOLARSHIPS

CRPM was contracted to conduct the external evaluation after the two year implementation of the project for supporting Roma students through secondary school by providing mentoring and scholarships, with the aim to assess the achievement of the expected objectives, evaluate the overall project management, identify the most successful project activities, as well as the ones which could be implemented more successfully in future.

 

“THE ORANGE ENVELOPE”

In the course of 2011 CRPM has provided policy ad­vice for developing a communication model between the Pension and Disability Fund of Macedonia and Macedonian citizens. The model CRPM developed is called The Orange enve­lope. It aims at increasing the citizens’ trust and promoting good governance of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund through increasing its transparency. The project puts into function the existing capacities of the Fund to generate data on everyone that is under social security insurance in order to provide information to them regarding: the funds available on their retirement benefits account, the total value of contributions, and pos­sible increases of the pension if the beneficiaries are to stay in employment for longer than 62 or 64 years (which is the legally defined retirement age).

 

ASSISTANCE TO POLICY CENTERS IN EGYPT: WOMEN IN EGYPT AFTER THE REVOLUTION

CRPM analysts provide technical assistance in the project (led by PASOS) “Linking change-makers in the Middle East & North Africa with democratic reformers of post-communist (Central and Eastern) Europe” in Egypt. Through partnership with the Egyptian Organization – NAZRA Center for Fem­inist Studies, we are building capacities in the field of gender equality and political participation of women.

For that purpose, within the project activities a training needs analysis is being prepared, followed by deliver­ing a tailor-made training and developing a guidebook on measures to be undertaken in Egypt. In Cairo on 28 September 2011 CRPM’s Marija Risteska and Ana Mickovska-Raleva held a seminar on policy analysis and research, and policy advocacy “Women’s Rights in Egypt: What now?”

 

STRENGTHENING THE COEXISTENCE AND PROMOTING THE COMMON VALUES IN THE INTERETHNIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN SKOPJE

With the project “Promotion of the common values” CRPM improved the level of coexistence in five multi ethical high schools in Skopje.

Through workshop on multiculturalism, conflict prevention and video basics, we have succeeded to enroll 25 students in total and empower them with knowledge how to contribute to the better understanding of the multicultural living and improve multi ethnical relations in their schools. Together with mentors from CRPM and Cre8ive8 Youth Media Production these students were working together in mixed groups and filmed three one minute videos with positive examples from their everyday school life.

As a closing event of the project we organized public debate titled “Security and interethnic coexistence in high schools in Skopje”. Respective guests working in the field of security and youth and educational policies took part in this debate and helped us to raise again the voice about the importance of this important issue.

 

FRANCOPHONE CIRCLE TRAININGS

In 2011 the Centre for Research and Policy Making together with the Francophone circle from Skopje organized two conferences with title “Francophone and democracy.”

These conferences were part of the Francophone circle project for development of democracy which aims to familiarize the public in Macedonia with the practice of democracy, human rights and freedoms in the Francophone space through the promotion of the Bamako Declaration.

 

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY – MOTHER THERESA

The general goal of the School if to raise capacities for good governance/public policy analysis and policy making of future leaders of Macedonia. We expect the participants to be fully involved in the whole educational process. We see them as future partners, who will together with the lecturers and guests, build a new political and governmental culture. The school director and the project coordinator together with the Board, selects the annual intake of 20 participants and draws up its program of activities. So far, three sessions have been conducted, with the following topics:

  1. First national session: Freedom of expression- Contemporary issues and debates with relevance for Macedonia
  2. Second national session: Ethics and Politics (Political Marketing, Communication, Electoral Campaigns)
  3. “Multiculturalism, new challenges and issues”

This generation also participated on the Summer University in Strasbourg held from 27-29 June, 2011 financed by the Council of Europe. The topic of the Summer University was “Ethics and politics”.

 

HOW TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR?

Discrimination has been a hot topic in the Macedonian society for the last few years. The public and expert debates were initiated during the preparation of the Antidiscrimination Law, but erupted after the adoption of the law by the Parliament in April 2010. However, since the adoption of the Law, no research has been carried out assessing its effectiveness in resolving cases of discrimination. This analysis pioners in this respect, by aiming to shed light on the implementation of the antidiscrimination policies in the public sector and their effect on specific vulnerable groups of citizens.

The study from CRPM initially provides an overview of the Macedonian antidiscrimination policy, assess the legal and institutional, framework, and includes analysis on different types of discriminatory actions. Besides the inclusion of the typically protected grounds, which are related to employment ethnic origin, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation and disability, the analysis also includes the ground of political affiliation, which is considered to be very prominent in Macedonian context. It combines and confronts the opinions of the main experts in the field of human rights and illustates the typical patterns of discrimination through concrete examples.