For ALL Women and Girls: Klimentina Ilijevski on empowering women survivors of violence to rebuild their lives

#ForAllWomenAndGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Among those answering that call is Klimentina Ilijevski from North Macedonia, a long-standing advocate for inclusion and social justice. As Executive Director of the Association for Research, Communications and Development – Public, Ilijevski has spent more than a decade working closely with vulnerable women and is one of the key architects behind the social mentoring model in North Macedonia. Through a holistic approach, she has helped reshape how the country supports women survivors of violence.

Over the past two years, Klimentina Ilijevski has coordinated a social mentoring programme designed to help survivors rebuild their economic independence and secure stable employment. In its second cycle, supported by UN Women, 20 of the 23 participants found jobs. With employment rates exceeding 80 per cent across both cycles, Ilijevski proves that survivor-centred mentoring is not only effective, but also life-changing for women who experience violence.

“When I look back on four years of working with women who have survived violence, one truth becomes very clear: this support has saved lives,” says Ilijevski. “There were moments when institutions responded too slowly, moments when women faced real danger. In those moments, mentors stepped in - they became the bridge that protected women and ensured they were never left alone.”

While economic reintegration is the programme’s main goal, Ilijevski explains that employment alone cannot transform a woman’s life if her immediate safety, childcare needs, or basic stability are not secured. “A woman cannot focus on a job interview if her child has no one to stay with, or if she is still being harassed by a former partner. Once those risks are addressed, she can finally take her first step toward independence. And for many, after years of isolation or discouragement, taking that step is a victory in itself.”

This survivor-centred model relies on consistent, one-on-one mentorship. Social mentors help women assess their readiness for the labour market, recognize their strengths, confront their internal barriers, and create a personalized reintegration plan. With access to training, support in obtaining additional qualifications, psychological assistance, interview preparation, and continued guidance after employment, women regain not just financial stability but also confidence and dignity.

“The biggest barriers we see are fear and lack of trust in institutions,” Ilijevski notes. “Women ask: ‘How will I care for my children? Will I be safe? Can I find a job?’. That is why we mostly work with women who have already left the violent environment, supporting them as they rebuild their lives step by step.”

For Ilijevski, transformation becomes visible not only through numbers but in the way women begin to carry themselves. “Their posture changes, the way they speak, walk, and engage. You can literally see confidence return to their bodies.” One woman told her, “When I first walked into this office, I was five centimetres shorter. Today, I walk out five centimetres taller.”

Among the many stories Ilijevski remembers is that of a woman who survived two decades of violence, including an attempted femicide. With sustained support from her mentor, she found a stable job, moved with her children into safe housing, and rebuilt her life. “For someone else, this might just look like employment,” she told Ilijevski. “For me, it means never going back.”

Today, the social mentoring model continues to grow thanks to strong partnerships between UN Women, Public, social service providers, local institutions, and the private sector. “This is why social mentoring matters,” Klimentina Ilijevski concludes. “It is not only about finding a job. It is about restoring dignity, rebuilding life, and proving that a future free of violence is possible, for ALL women and girls.”