WHO IS AFRAID OF GENDER? Analysis of the Key Narratives and Strategies of the Anti-gender Movement in the Republic of North Macedonia
The main goal of this research is to assist human rights defenders to better understand anti-gender campaigns, identifying how to oppose and support human rights promotion for all. The research aims to provide relevant data, analysis and knowledge on hegemonic framing strategies, representation and discursive construction of women and of sexual and gender minorities in public discourses by anti-gender actors, and strengthen the mobilization among all progressive forces in our society by offering various transformations.
The main focus of the analysis was to: conduct detailed research and issue a report on key anti-gender narratives and the emotional response they seek to instigate in the Republic of North Macedonia; to increase knowledge on human rights activists, decision makers, academia and media workers on the key strategies and narratives employed by anti-gender movements; to inform and offer specific recommendations to the parties concerned, decision makers and the civil society, in relation to the goals and methods applied by anti-gender movements in human rights prevention; and to strengthen the cooperation between relevant institutions, academia and civil society in order to support progressive voices and ideas in Macedonian society.
The research was carried out through the project “Strategies, discourses and images for gender and sexual (in)equality in North Macedonia: Pride Weekend in Skopje 2022 and research on the anti-gender movement in North Macedonia” funded by the Heinrich Boll Foundation – Sarajevo. The translation of the integral text was supported through the “Response to anti-gender movements in North Macedonia” project financed by the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and “Promotion and Protection of Sexual and Health Rights of Marginalized Communities” project financed by the Open Society Foundation Macedonia.