CEDAW urges Macedonia to address stigma experienced by LBTI women when they access to health care

Coalition of Human Rights Organization from Macedonia (Star-Star Skopje, HOPS - Healthy Options Project Skopje, Coalition Margins, Stronger Together) in cooperation with ECOM has submitted a report on Status of Sex Workers in the Republic of Macedonia, including information on trans sex workers with an emphasis on their access to health care.

The report was also presented in Geneva in November by the delegation of human rights defenders, where ECOM was represented by Human Rights and Legal Issues Officer, Yuri Yoursky.

Advocacy efforts directed to bring legal changes to protect the rights of sex workers in Macedonia has brought its results. In its concluding observation, HRCtee dedicated separate block to “Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution” with the recommendation to improve the situation with human rights for sex workers in Macedonia, and pay attention to their right to health:

The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Combat violence against women in prostitution and adopt measures to prevent, investigate, prosecute and adequately punish violence against them;

(b) Ensure that health care and social protection are available to women in prostitution; and strengthen income-generating opportunities for women as well as provide exit programmes for women who wish to leave prostitution.

Another important issue which was addressed in the concluding observation is health, which highlights health related issues of women in Macedonia, and among other emphasizes rights of LBTI community to access health care.

The Committee recommends that the State party:

(b) Provide information on the impact of the delivery of age-appropriate education on sexual and reproductive health in school; and ensure that adolescents have access to accurate information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, including responsible sexual behaviour, prevention of early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases;

(c) Ensure that modern forms of contraception and treatment for sexually transmitted infections are available to all women and girls, and raise awareness of the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, and responsible sexual behaviour, including in border areas, including among Roma, women and girls;

(e) Address stigma experienced by lesbians, bisexual, transgender and intersex women when they access to health care, including sexual and reproductive health.

Since 2017 ECOM implements the Regional Program “Right to Health”, with Macedonia as one of the target countries. The goal of the program is to contribute to an increased uptake and retention across the continuum of HIV care for MSM and trans people in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

One of the objectives of the regional program is to strengthen enabling environments for HIV services for MSM and trans people, through fighting stigma and discrimination, promoting and protecting human rights, and removing legal and policy barriers. 

Therefore ECOM put its efforts to contribute for creating enabling legal environment for gay men, other MSM and trans people, and supports civil society in its struggle for human rights protection in Macedonia.