CRPM held the final conference of the project “Young Men Initiative in GRB Prevention”, implemented in partnership with CARE International Balkans and supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The conference focused on preventing peer and gender-based violence among young people in North Macedonia, bringing together youth, youth workers, teachers, peer educators, civil society representatives, and local institutions to discuss ways to strengthen policies and practices that protect girls and young women.
Opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Ozlem Canel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and our Executive Directress Dr. Marija Risteska, followed by Mirjana Zlatanova from the Ministry of Education and Science and Sara Dereta from CARE Balkans.
CRPM’s Executive Directress Marija Risteska highlighted the challenges young people face today, stating:
“The young people of today face many challenges — from dependence on technology, online bullying and hate speech, which affects their way of communicating, to the difficulty of expressing their feelings and emotions. This shapes the relationships they form with one another, with their friends, and with their partners. To effectively prevent gender-based violence, we must support both boys and girls and teach them to communicate with mutual respect and in healthy, non-toxic ways.”
The project, part of the regional Young Men Initiative, began in October 2023 and covered nine municipalities: Skopje, Centar, Gjorce Petrov, Gazi Baba, Tetovo, Ohrid, Shtip, Kavadarci, and Negotino. Its goal was to encourage non-violent behaviors rooted in mutual respect, equality, and understanding. Through education, volunteerism, and activism, young people developed skills for healthy relationships and became active contributors within their communities. More than 400 young people participated directly, with wider impact across their surrounding communities.
Key activities focused on:
• Engaging both boys and girls as allies in preventing gender-based violence
• Strengthening the capacities of youth organizations in the nine municipalities
• Facilitating regional exchange of experiences among teachers, youth workers, and young people
The project was based on the internationally recognized Program M and Program Y, aimed at transforming harmful gender stereotypes and building essential life skills.
