USAID starts 5-year project to empower Macedonia's civil society organizations, youth

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) presented a five-year project on Friday aimed at strengthening civil society organizations and youth engagement in Macedonia, the USAID office said here.

According to USAID Macedonia, the project, called Civic Engagement Project (CEP), will assist civil society organizations to generate civic activism and lead public debate and action for transparent and accountable governance at all levels of decision-making.

This can happen if civil society organizations have the knowledge, mechanisms and resources to act in this way and become a strong voice and legitimate representatives of citizens' concerns, according to the office.

The project will also help create and support a cadre of youth leaders and youth-focused organizations that will bring about progressive change in their communities and society for decades to come, the USAID office added.

Further on, it said the project would promote gender equality and protection of the rights of socially-excluded groups in Macedonia. Endit