Female participation in local planning and decision-making processes is low, symbolic, and unsystematic, according to an analysis conducted by the Women’s Organization – Strumica, specifically for the municipalities of Strumica, Bosilovo, and Novo Selo. Despite formal mechanisms for civic participation, women, especially those in rural areas, face multiple barriers—from insufficient information and limited access to consultations, to structural obligations and cultural pressures that reduce their capacity for active involvement.

Institutions do not have sufficient human and systemic resources to promote continuous and inclusive participation, while local women’s organizations, which could be a key resource, are often excluded from these processes. According to experts, without a systematic approach that takes into account the specific needs of women and enables transparent and non-discriminatory inclusion, efforts for inclusive local governance remain limited.

The publication was prepared by the Women’s Organization from Strumica as part of a grant for implementing the project “Women – Drivers of Change in Communities”, which is part of the project “Women Taking the Lead in Local Communities”, implemented by The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, the Association for the Promotion of Gender Equality – Akcija Zdruszenska, and the Humanitarian Association “Majka” – Kumanovo, and financially supported by the European Union Delegation and co-financed by Sweden.