Media play an important role in the formation of societal attitudes and values and have immense potential to be an instrument for social change. According to the research conducted by the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Services, there is still a ‘widespread portrayal of women in media through the framework of marriage and family’ by maintaining the traditional roles of women and emphasizing stereotypes.
On the other hand, the comprehensive study on women’s well-being shows that 60% of women in North Macedonia consider that violence against them is common, and almost three out of ten consider that it occurs very frequently. Compared to the average in the EU countries, women in North Macedonia consider that domestic violence is a private matter that should stay within the family.
This attitude, combined with the lack of knowledge about the existing specialized services for the protection of the victims of domestic violence, results in serious violations of women’s rights.
