MACEDONIA: NOMINATION FOR SECRETARY'S AWARD FOR

UNCLAS SKOPJE 000845 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ANDREA BOTTNER (G/IWI) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM MK SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: NOMINATION FOR SECRETARY'S AWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE REF: STATE 126072 ¶1. (U) After consulting with members of the country team, Post has identified Xhane Kreshova (Dzane Kresova) as this year's Woman of Courage. Ms. Kreshova has been notified of her nomination. BIO DATA ¶2. (U) Name of the nominee: Xhane Kreshova In passport: Dzane Kresova Job title/association: President of the Forum of Albanian Women, Tetovo Date of birth: October 16, 1947, village of Bukovik Country of birth: Macedonia Citizenship: Republic of Macedonia Address: Nikola Tesla 6, 1200 Tetovo Telephone: 389-44-337-440 Cell phone: 389-70-256-879 E-mail: info@forumi.org.mk/ www.forumi.org.mk Passport number: 2130544 exp. August 2114 A RURAL NURSE TURNED ACTIVIST ¶3. (U) When Xhane Kreshova began working as a nurse in rural mountain villages in Macedonia in the late sixties, she understood first-hand that the traditional culture in many remote ethnic Albanian villages could be stifling for women and girls. Since there were no laws at the time allowing NGOs to operate in Macedonia, she had no choice but to create informal networks to serve the underprivileged. ¶4. (U) She has since led many dozens of projects with the goal of empowering women through education projects on human rights, health issues, gender equality, domestic violence, and human trafficking issues. In 2001, with NGOs now able to operate in the country, Kreshova became president of the Forum of Albanian Women in Tetovo. Current projects include a legal advising center for female victims of domestic violence in Tetovo, including pro bono representation. FACING SKEPTICISM, KRESHOVA WORKS FOR WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ¶5. (U) Kreshova's Forum initially faced widespread skepticism because of the traditional conservative and male-dominated nature of the ethnic Albanian culture in Tetovo. Under her leadership, her NGO is now firmly established. Lately she has been expanding the focus of her network to aid all women in Macedonia, regardless of ethnicity. Because she estimates that the employment rate for women in rural villages is only approximately 2%, she and her team have started micro-finance projects for women in which they make clothing exemplifying traditional national dress that can later be sold. Their next project will be to support female students in need of scholarships. RESPECTED BY ALL, BUT WITH MUCH WORK LEFT TO DO... ¶6. (U) In an area where local politics are especially fractious, Kreshova has earned the respect of local leaders and the public, regardless of party affiliation. She gets things done that others could not possibly achieve, according to her supporters, building democracy, strengthening respect for human rights, and striving to improve the economy. Every day, her work promotes U.S. mission priorities. ¶7. (U) In spite of all the progress she has made, she thinks there are still "too many prejudices" against women in rural parts of Macedonia. "I want women to walk alongside men," she says. In small villages and big towns, thanks to Kreshova,s decades of labor, that vision now has a chance to become a reality. MILOVANOVIC