“Freedom, human dignity, social justice, security and non-discrimination are essential for maintaining economic and social development and efficiency of a country. Once we start solving problems systematically, we will have less problems and then we will talk about positive things. The hero of our society will be someone from our surrounding, and not someone from some far away countries”, says Ljuljeta Ademi, activist and Disability Advisor to President Pendarovski at the panel discussion “Social Justice and Discrimination: Too many people on the margins of society and politics… Until when?”, organized by CIVIL, which was held on December 11.

She shared that she had been a victim of domestic violence and when she had reported to the police her statement was “left hanging in the air” so she had to find connections for something that she is lawfully entitled to.

“My statement was left hanging in the air, I had to look for connections for something that I am lawfully entitled to or should enjoy as a right. When I had to personally request help from those who are supposed to protect me, two policemen came and made a report, and after two weeks I received a lawsuit for false accusation”, said Ademi.

She added that many women are discouraged of reporting cases of gender based violence, regardless of their nationality.

“Nothing is ideal, let’s not lose the opportunity we have in recent years of being more visible as people with special skills. By being more present in the institutions, we are far from being politically comprehensive, but we are present. For the first time, Pendarovski has appointed a person in charge of relations with people with special needs, not that there should be a special communication, but to be present, that was not the case before, to have a person representing those rights”, she added.

Ademi added that with such presence, society is learning that we should have that diversity.

She says that discrimination is all around us, pointing out the example when in an elite restaurant in Berovo they didn’t want to serve them because in the group there was a Roma.

D.M
camera: Atanas Petrovski
editing: Arian Mehmeti

Translation: N. Cvetkovska