We continue our mission to accompany, serve and advocate for refugees, asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and persons under international protection in North Macedonia. Through dedicated advocacy, we seek to ensure that every person forced to flee is treated with dignity, has access to their rights and is empowered to build a future in our country.

We work closely with local institutions, civil society and international partners to promote policies that protect the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and persons under international protection. Our advocacy efforts focus on:

• Ensuring fair and transparent asylum procedures;
• Preventing the detention of children and persons belonging to vulnerable groups;
• Promoting access to education, healthcare and social services;
• Supporting initiatives for integration and inclusion in Macedonian society.

Through cooperation with state institutions and international organizations, we highlight the challenges faced by our beneficiaries and provide evidence-based recommendations for improving legislation and practices, ensuring that North Macedonia complies with international and EU standards for refugee protection.

Our advocacy is not limited to policies, but also focuses on the beneficiaries themselves. Our organization amplifies the voices of refugees, asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and persons under international protection, encouraging their participation in dialogue and decision-making processes. Through workshops and the sharing of personal stories, beneficiaries communicate their experiences, breaking down stereotypes and fostering empathy in Macedonian society.

Ultimately, advocacy means hope – hope that every person can live without fear of persecution and exclusion. We advocate for a society in which refugees, asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and persons under international protection are welcomed, protected and given the opportunity to thrive. Through persistent advocacy, We contribute to building a fairer and more compassionate society.

Our advocacy is a call to action for state institutions, communities and individuals. Together, we can turn policies into practices of hospitality and ensure that North Macedonia remains a place where human dignity comes above all else.

As a success story, we highlight the case of a beneficiary from Afghanistan whom our team has been advocating for since 2019. We succeeded in having his case referred back once from the Administrative Court in Skopje and twice from the Higher Administrative Court in Skopje to the Asylum Sector. As a result, the Asylum Sector finally issued a decision recognizing his right to asylum on the basis of subsidiary protection in North Macedonia.

Despite the positive decision, we continued to advocate for the beneficiary. As a result of this successful advocacy, the Asylum Sector issued a decision extending his right of residence – based on his recognized right to asylum through subsidiary protection – until 30 July 2027.

Finally, we would like to emphasize that, in our country, refugees and asylum seekers have an explicit right to free legal assistance under the Law on Free Legal Aid. This legislation guarantees access to both primary and secondary legal assistance, with the aim of ensuring fair treatment and access to justice. These services are funded by non-governmental and international organizations, including our office, which in 2019 received a decision from the Ministry of Justice authorizing a citizens’ association to provide preliminary legal assistance.