Rector of the University of Tetova, Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti addressed a speech who conveyed to them the most sincere congratulations to Albanian mothers and sisters for their holiday, March 8th. “We express our gratitude for their contribution in all areas of life. On the International Women’s Day, and not only, we recall the difficult path through which women’s emancipation has passed, especially in our region, in which emancipation of the most vital layer of our society experienced undeserved discrimination in education, science, culture and in other social areas. But women, as the main pillars of family and society, never surrendered, never stopped claiming their rights, as anywhere in the civilized world. She, with her vision stood steadfast in the efforts for equality and beyond one thousand and one obstacles, managed to consolidate her status and stride faster as anywhere else in the world. Of course, we must emphasize the most important role education played in advancing the rights of Albanian women and women in general. In our country it would be unimaginable to aim to fulfill the objectives of the Albanian women, without the educational and scientific activity of the University of Tetova, which, since in its beginnings embraced a new life concept for Albanians in Macedonia, brought the illumination spirit without making distinction of gender, religion, and other affiliation. With the growth and strengthening of the University of Tetova, the status of Albanian women greatly improved and in this way our society managed to embrace the values of civilized peoples”- said Rector Prof. Dr. Vullnet Ameti.
Later, in the premises of the Faculty of Pedagogy in honor of March 8th, the International Women’s Day was organized a forum on the topic: “Influence of women in social changes”.
Vice-dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy of the University of Tetova, Doc. Dr. Rabije Murati emphasized that when it comes to achieving gender equality, it is mainly meant advancing the position of women in society, especially in public life and in decision-making positions. “Gender equality means equal participation of women and men in all areas of life, equal status, equal opportunity to enjoy all their rights and to put in service their individual potentials in the development of society, as well as to benefit equally from the achievements of this development. Empowering women is one of the most right things to do because they face discrimination based on their gender and this situation can be changed anyway. Gender equality can only be achieved by working with all segments of society: men and women, boys and girls, all together”- said Prof. Dr. Rabija Murati.
While Jehona Rexhepi, lecturer at the Faculty of Pedagogy, said that it is now well-known that feminism, according to the most of definitions, is given as a social movement that for women requires equal rights and status to that of men, freedom to decide on their careers, as well as to regulate their own lives in general. “In fact, in spite of the definitions that more or less would be summarized in this way, the issue of differentiation and interconnection with the other two concepts, feminist writing and feminist criticism, is more complicated. In literature, the tragic fate of women appears very early, since in ancient literature, however, feminist discourse is something else”- said Jehona Rexhepi.
Also, in this debate, their attitudes on the role and position of women in society were presented by Mrs. Mirjana Markovska, Vice President of Women’s Association and Manager of ELIT – Skopje, Sefer Selimi representative from Demokracy Lab and Mrs. Aleksandra Cvetkovska from the National Democratic Institute.
The debate on the influence of women in social changes revealed views and attitudes from different perspectives, which among other things aimed to raise awareness of society over the position of women through history and the present today.
