UN Human Rights in North Macedonia

Profile

The Adviser works to increase the capacity of the UN Country Team (UNCT) and national stakeholders to implement human rights obligations, align national human rights institutions with international standards and engage effectively with the UN human rights mechanisms.

Achievements

• The UN Development Assitance Framework (UNDAF) – the “Partnership for Sustainable Development“ – 2016 - 2020 addresses key concerns identified by the UN human rights mechanisms affecting women, persons with disabilities, Roma and people on the move, as well as the authorities’ failure to act and protect persons from discrimination. Through analytical summaries preapred by the National Human Rights Adviser for the UNCT and national partners, the National Human Rights Adviser assisted the UNCT, partners and a range of stakeholders to identify priority areas, specifically, empowering the marginalized and socially excluded, accountability of state institutions to their gender equality commitments and women and girls living free of discrimination and violence.
• In 2019, the National Human Rights Adviser will continue to support the implementation of the joint UN project by UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP and UN Women to support the deinstitutionalization of persons with disabilities as required by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• In December 2017, advocacy by the UN Resident Coordinator, the UNCT and its Theme Group on Gender and Human Rights lead by the National Human Rights Adviser, contributed to the State’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention). Since the ratification, the UNCT including the National Human Rights Adviser is supporting the Government and civil society to develop a plan and is engaging in capacity building for its implementation.
• Advocacy for the alignment of the anti-discrimination law with the international human rights standards contributed to the government’s decision to reform of the law in 2016. The draft new anti-discrimination law, finalized on 5 March 2019, is largely compliant with international human rights law. The National Human Rights Adviser provided technical assistance in the drafting of the new law and that the anti-discrimination commission is compliant with the Paris Principles on national human rights institutions.
• In 2018, the Government’s National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow up to human rights mechanisms appointed new members. Building on the achievements of OHCHR’s support in 2015-2016, the mechanism requested and obtained additional support from OHCHR. Treaty Body Capacity Building Project and UPR Follow-Up Trust Fund will work with the National Human Rights Adviser to strengthen its transparency, consultation capacity and engagement on the national SDGs agenda in 2018-2019.

Partners and Donors

Partners: UN agencies, International and regional organizations, Government, Ombudsman’s Office, civil society.

Donors: UPR Follow Up Trust fund, OHCHR Treaty Bodies Capacity Building Programme.

UN Human Rights Focus Areas

Last reviewed: March 2019