When a crisis strikes, whether it’s a fire, a flood, or a pandemic, every second counts. But what happens when the very plans designed to keep people safe overlook the needs of half the population? In North Macedonia, this question became painfully clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency teams, task forces, and crisis management plans had been drafted for years, but women’s voices were rarely included. As a result, the systems guiding local responses often failed to account for the unique challenges women face in times of crisis.
Association for Social Innovation and Sustainable Development RADAR implemented a successful project “Involvement of the gender perspective in planning and management of emergency and crisis situations at the local level”. The areas of intervention were small to mid-sized municipalities in North Macedonia including Berovo, Kavadarci, Kocani and additionally in Karposh.
Rather than just reviewing official documents, RADAR looked deeper. They examined how local municipalities including Berovo, Kavadarci, Kočani, and Karpoš were preparing for emergencies. The team asked tough but essential questions:
- Are women represented in local crisis management teams?
- Do the plans consider how crises affect women and men differently?
- Are local budgets set aside to support vulnerable groups during emergencies?
The answers revealed serious blind spots.
The results of the analyses showed that municipalities in the preparation and assessment of the crises management plans have not integrated gender perspective and does not include information about how and to which degree would reflect on women, their wellbeing as well and their role in the prevention process. The lack of gender perspective is particularly visible in the parts that are related to: absence of sex disaggregated data, effect on the various situation on women and their response and participation of women in the crisis management bodies. This is part of the assessments regarding danger from natural and other disasters, plans for protection and safety, operational plans for safety from disasters like flooding and fires, evacuation plans, first aid plans. One of the most eye-opening findings came from schools. These are supposed to be safe spaces for children, but RADAR discovered that many schools were alarmingly unprepared for basic emergencies like fires.
“There are drills, but for two years now, I have been on the second shift on the day when the drill takes place, so I haven’t participated yet.” teacher
- Seven out of ten staff members had never been trained to use a fire extinguisher;
- Even those who had training admitted they still didn’t feel confident handling one;
- Safety protocols were vague, and many school boards lacked clear guidance;
- Not all staff in the schools are adequately and fully informed about the measures some activities that school undertakes to prevent and protect from fire in the school and what are the steps that need to be taken in a case of fire;
- Similar results are received from the school boards members who in majority do not know well about the conditions with fire protection in the schools and the usage of the fire equipment.
- Because women make up the majority of school staff, this gap in training placed them at particular risk. It wasn’t just about fire safety it was about recognizing how gender inequalities show up in the most unexpected and urgent places;
- There is no system for informing parents that children have been evacuated and are safe in crisis conditions;
- There is no awareness that due to a gender differences there should be more fire extinguishers, but with a smaller weight of the fire extinguisher, placed in each classroom.
The project achieved a real shift in how municipalities in Berovo, Kavadarci, Kocani, and Karposh think about crisis preparedness. For the first time, local crisis management plans were reviewed through a gender lens, uncovering critical gaps and pushing authorities to integrate gender-responsive recommendations directly into their policies. Each municipality received tailored gender budget appraisal reports, which quickly became powerful advocacy tools, guiding officials toward more inclusive planning and resource allocation.
Importantly, these findings didn’t stay on paper! They were shared with experts developing the Integrated Local Development Plans (2024–2027), supported by UNDP, ensuring that gender equality is now woven into long-term planning across sectors. Municipal leaders began to recognize that effective crisis management must address the distinct needs of women, men, and vulnerable groups, making local communities safer and more resilient.
One of the project’s most unexpected but impactful outcomes was the attention it brought to school safety. Assessments revealed worrying gaps in fire protection: outdated equipment, lack of training, and safety roles assigned almost exclusively to men. By raising these issues, the project started an important public conversation about the safety of children and staff, and the urgent need to equip and train predominantly female school staff in fire response.
One of the firefighters says: “Both the teachers and the children come to the drills just to take pictures. The drill and handling of the equipment must be mandatory for every child.”
The action enhanced understanding among local decision-makers about the importance of including women in both crisis prevention, response and recovery, in the respective municipalities. The active involvement of municipal gender equality coordinators has further reinforced this progress. One key achievement that was not originally planned but had a significant impact was the project’s contribution to start conversation regarding improving crisis preparedness in schools across the three municipalities. An assessment of fire safety measures in primary schools revealed gaps in the availability and maintenance of fire extinguishers, as well as a lack of structured fire safety training and clear crisis response protocols. Additionally, the research highlighted a gender imbalance in safety responsibilities, where fire safety knowledge and crisis response roles were often assigned predominantly to male staff. The project was additionally implemented in Municipality Karposh.
General recommendations
The recommendations of the analyses showed that there is a need for increased investments in trainings for fire protection for school staff which is predominantly women, improved usage of the fire distinguishers and their handling. There is a need for increase of the information about the staff trained for handling the fire protection equipment, as well and the evacuation and preparedness plans in case of fire. The same recommendations are provided for the school boards.
“This is the first time we sat together with representatives from the municipality, members of the fire protection society, and the NGO sector to discuss the needs and how to make the system more efficient,” said the school psychologist in Kochani.
