Femicide Watch in North Macedonia: Preventing violence against women requires institutional and societal engagement

Since the beginning of this year, seven women have been killed in North Macedonia by partners or family members, while last year six women lost their lives.

Murder is only the final point of a history of violence that may have begun much earlier. Through the Femicide Watch mechanism, 92 cases have been analyzed so far in the country, 43 of which have been categorized as femicide or attempted femicide. For institutions, identifying cases and reacting in time continues to be a significant challenge.

Every day, around the world, 137 women and girls are killed by an intimate partner or a family member. Behind each victim lies a life cut short and, in many cases, warning signs that went unnoticed. During 2024, 83,000 victims were recorded globally.

Femicide is a problem that affects all societies, while combating violence against women is one of the OSCE’s key priorities.

A legal framework is essential, but passing laws alone is not enough. Their effectiveness depends on concrete implementation, on the availability of complete data from institutions, and on the possibility of protecting victims before the situation escalates. Prevention requires sustained cooperation among different sectors, shared responsibility, timely collection of information, tailored preventive measures, and consistent enforcement of legislation.