Maternal mental health must become a central pillar of public health policy, according to experts and international representatives in North Macedonia. A collaborative initiative, backed by the French Embassy, is working to bridge the gap between existing policy frameworks and the actual needs of mothers.
French Ambassador Christophe Le Rigolleur highlighted the project as a critical partnership with local civil society. "This is one of four major projects we are implementing with our partners, the Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Diversity of Women (ESE) and the research organization Reactor," he stated.
Research conducted by Reactor reveals that while some strategies exist, mental health is still not fully recognized as an integral component of an individual's overall well-being. Ana Bojčevska Mitrevska, a representative for the organization, noted that current institutional efforts remain insufficient.
Meanwhile, Borjan Pavlovski of the ESE Association emphasized the urgent need for local education. Many women, he explained, are learning about the importance of mental health during pregnancy and motherhood for the first time through this project, highlighting a systemic failure to provide accessible information.
