Monitoring report for the project „Women workers unite!“ within the action “Promotion of women’s labor rights”

The monitoring report for the project Women Workers Unite!, within the action “Promotion of women workers’ labor rights”, collectively presents the situation with women’s labor rights in Republic of North Macedonia in terms of gender discrimination at the workplace, given that in the conditions of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the thread of violation of the labor rights of women workers, discrimination, and the position of women in the field of labor relations in general, was emphasized. The threat to health and life in general, caused by the crisis with COVID-19 and the measures for prevention and protection from it, at the same time paradoxically emphasized the role of women in many spheres in social life, as well as in labor, work, and labor relations, given that in most of the so-called essential professions (such as in the food, textile, and health industries), it is women workers who invest their labor. On the other hand, the exploitation of women’s labor within the established labor relations, often extends to the general exploitation of the female position. The specific differences that make a woman worker vulnerable to conditions in which her personal status, which is most often related to her personal well-being, becomes a place of violation of both workers’ rights and discrimination; namely, a violation of the basic principle of equality. The cases that were monitored and processed support the aforementioned theses. In addition, the reviews of the European and national legislation support the need for effective protection through both the normative framework and safety mechanisms, as there are already standards and good practices that can pave the way for safer employment and protected labor rights.