Item 6: UPR North Macedonia
Action Canada for Population and Development
Thank you President, Action Canada makes this statement on behalf of Journalists for Human Rights and the Sexual Rights Initiative.
We welcome North Macedonia’s commitment to improving human rights through its engagement in the Universal Periodic Review. North Macedonia’s support for key recommendations relating to the fulfilment and enjoyment of the rights to education and to health reflects a willingness to address vital issues.
We urge the government to prioritise the development of a national plan for the inclusion of comprehensive sexuality education in school curricula as a mandatory subject. Access to comprehensive sexuality education will empower them to make informed decisions about their bodies, sexual and reproductive health, sexuality, and relationships. Comprehensive sexuality education is crucial for promoting gender equality, reducing violence, and enhancing the well-being of students across North Macedonia.
Additionally, we welcome the acceptance of the recommendation on ensuring access to free menstrual health products in schools and in all public toilets. Access to menstrual health commodities, is an essential component of ensuring dignified menstruation and a key facet of ensuring menstrual justice. This initiative will have a significant impact on addressing period poverty, and ensuring that women and girls no longer face disruptions to their education due to their menstrual cycles. We call on the government to urgently implement this recommendation in tandem with addressing persistent taboos and stigma associated with menstruation, and with ensuring the availability of adequate sanitation infrastructure.
As North Macedonia enters the implementation phase, we call on the government to take swift and meaningful action on these recommendations, for the tangible benefit of society as a whole.
Thank you.