Global Courant
Organized by the Macedonian Orthodox Church, hundreds of citizens in Skopje, North Macedonia protested against the draft law on gender equality and the civil status book.
Protesters gathered in front of the “St. Klimenti i Ohrid” Cathedral in Skopje.
Officials of the Macedonian Orthodox Church estimate that “the draft laws on gender equality pose a serious threat to society as they are contrary to “family values” and the definition of biological sex.
Church leaders said that “the changes may meet the demands of a certain group, but on the other hand they violate the rights of 99 percent of citizens.”
The Macedonian Orthodox Church opposes in particular point 3 of article 4 of the draft law on gender equality, which has not yet been submitted for approval to the Government, which states:
Article 4, paragraph 3: “Gender identity” refers to the inner and individual feeling that each person feels deep within himself to express his gender differently, including name, dress, speech, behavior and gender.
While in the draft law on civil status books that was submitted to the Parliament by a group of deputies, it is foreseen that people can change their gender depending on their feelings.
The Islamic Religious Community has supported the protest organized by the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Even though they supported the protest, the leaders of the Islamic Religious Community said that they did not physically participate in the protest.
After the reaction of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the ruling Macedonian party, the Social Democratic League, has decided to withdraw from the procedure the draft law on mother evidence, but has not withdrawn from the goal of its approval.
The non-governmental organizations united in the Network Platform for Gender Equality and the Network for Protection from Discrimination have emphasized that the protest of the Macedonian Orthodox Church aims to put pressure on the state authorities to withdraw the draft laws on gender equality./REL
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