IRENA TODOROSKA Head of Unit for Social inclusion

1. ARRANGEMENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA FOR THE JIM PROCESS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE OMC FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION IRENA TODOROSKA Head of Unit for Social inclusion Contact itodoroska@mtsp.gov.mk

2. Surface area25.713 km2 Population 2 022 547 citizens Northern amplitude Eastern longitude (Greenwich) North 42 22’ 21’’ 22 18’ 0 South 40 51’ 16’’ 21 07' 3 East 41 42’ 33’’ 23 02' 12" West 41 31’ 04’’ 20 27' 32"

3. “Main objective in the area of social inclusion sub-component is to improve quality and efficiency of the social system, including policy and institutions, in terms of fast integration of disabled persons including people with mental illness in the society (and labour market) and reduction of poverty. It should also prepare the country to actively participate in the Open Method of Coordination after the EU accession. A starting point for fulfilment of these objectives is preparation of a national strategy for social inclusion, which will set objectives, and define measures and activities needed to accomplish the objectives. It will be prepared in close consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including NGOs Multi- annual Indicative Planning Document 2008-2010,ANNEX,The Republic of Macedonia

4. Undertaken action: • Political level • Strengthening of the institutional capacities • Promotion and Strengthening of the dialog with every relevant factor • Improving the coordination of the political institutions

5. Activities on political level The government of the Republic of Macedonia has adopted conclusions in relation to: • General information about the OMC • MLSP – coordinator of the process • Directions of the institutions in the system а) Founding Work groups б) Organizing training sessions • After the formal decision for initiating the JIM process, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia is to ordain the institutions to found multi departmental Work group

6. Activities for strengthening the capacities Several seminars are organized which are being directed towards strengthening the capacity in the area of: • Human rights • OMC goals in the part of fight against poverty and social exclusion • Set indicators (Leaken indicators and other) • Presentation of the experiences of some new EU member states on social inclusion

7. Active participation: • Government institutions • Non government institutions • Social partners • Local self-government • Remaining relevant factors

8. Activities for promotion and strengthening of the dialog Experts on national level have been engaged for inclusion of the NGO sector dealing with issues of the vulnerable social categories Meetings of the Subject groups on national level have been held regarding the issues in the area of: - children - persons with disabilities - elderly people - gender equality - health issues - minority issues - Roma population

9. The subject groups have located: - problems - priorities - regional disparities Active participation: - representatives of the public sector - representatives of the non governmental sector - representatives of the Trade union

10. Conferences in eight regions The Goal of the conferences was to initiate the discussion among involved stakeholders, hence, identification of the regional problems for social exclusion of certain vulnerable groups

11. Government institutions Nongovernmental organizations Public Institutions on local level Local self – government

12. National conference: “On the way to EU the contribution of the citizen’s society in creation of the politics about the social inclusion in the Republic of Macedonia” The report from the conference can be downloaded from www.mtsp.gov.mk

13. Organized thematic workshops where every relevant factor on national level is included (Assembly of the RM, the NGO sector, social partners and the remaining relevant factors) • National experts are engaged for issues in the area of social inclusion of elderly people and disabled persons • Analysis and a research about the condition of the elderly people and disabled people in the Republic of Macedonia • Elaboration of baseline studies about these vulnerable social groups. The above activities are supported from the project “Strengthening of the Government Institutional Capacities to Fight thePoverty and Social Exclusion and its Application of OMC” supported by UNDP and UNFPA

15. ENVISAGED ACTIVITIES!!!!!

16. IMPROVING THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE POLITICS • Establishment of the National coordinative body within the Government of the Republic of Macedonia • Preparation of strategic (integral) document to fight the poverty and the social exclusion ( National strategy for social inclusion)

17. Strategic documents of the Republic of Macedonia with already incorporated inclusion politics - Deinstitutionalization strategy - Demographic development strategy 2008-2015 - Roma population strategy - Housing strategy - Domestic violence strategy - Health strategy - Strategy against tuberculosis - Strategy for prevention of HIV aids

18. Other envisaged activities: • Continued mobilization of the non governmental sector and its active participation in the OMC • Establishment and developing the national network for reducing the poverty for its participation in the European network for reducing the poverty • Launching projects on local and on national level aiming to support social inclusion • Preparation for piloting of the projects in the frames of the Operational program for development of human resources for the IPA component IV- priority 3, social inclusion

19. EXPECTED (DESIRED) ACTIVITY Initiation of the process for formal preparation of the “Joint inclusion memorandum”

20. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION