STRONGER TOGETHER is an association of the community of people living with HIV in the Republic of North Macedonia which provides support for the people with HIV and cares for improving the quality of their life.

Our members are people living with HIV and their close supporters. STRONGER TOGETHER unites people different in their sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, religious views, social status and status regarding education, political affiliation and on many other bases.

Our members are people living with HIV and their close supporters. STRONGER TOGETHER unites people different in their sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, religious views, social status and status regarding education, political affiliation and on many other bases.

VISION

What leads us is the vision for a society in which people living with HIV will have life in dignity and accomplishment, freed from stigma and discrimination, and a society in which they have permanent access to comprehensive health care, treatment and therapy regarding HIV, as well as relating to other health conditions, and in accordance with the latest scientific achievements.

MISSION

We operate on strengthening people living with HIV as egalitarian members of society, on respecting their dignity and exercising their health and human rights.

We especially aim towards providing a continuous access to the latest antiretroviral therapy and a comprehensive treatment of HIV infection as well as conditions related or non-related to HIV in accordance to the latest scientific achievements.

MEANS OF OPERATION

STRONGER TOGETHER operates in the following 4 main areas:

SUPPORTSupport services – peer, psychosocial and legal – as well as activities for empowering people living with HIV in the Republic of North Macedonia
HIV TESTINGServices on free HIV testing and counselling via the testing point at our premises in Debar Maalo
POLICIESAdvocating for the rights of people living with HIV, especially regarding the access to up-to-date good quality treatment as well as participating in public policies creation related to HIV, public health and protection
MOBILIZATIONMobilization and raising public awareness regarding HIV in order to reduce prejudice, stigma and discrimantion towards people with HIV, and raising awareness regarding culture of regular HIV testing

Capacity building and facilitating the national response to HIV

STRONGER TOGETHER occasionally organizes activities on capacity building related to HIV among health workers and other professionals. Also, we initiate and facilitate expert consultancy processes regarding treatment and prevention, as well as managing the national response to HIV.

Operating through partnership

We believe that successful changes are achieved with joint efforts; we support and operate through partnerships with other organizations in the civil society which nurture similar values as our own and operate for achieving mutual goals.

Collaboration and speaking up

Through our representation we believe in the collaboration with institutions and we invest in it; at the same time we continuously speak up in the public always when the situation calls for it.

Values and principles

The basic principles upon which STRONGER TOGETHER organizes the work and operation are the following:

  • equality and egalitarianism,
  • mutuality and solidarity,
  • participation,
  • confidence,
  • neutrality and independence,
  • transparency and
  • legitimacy in operating.

The association STRONGER TOGETHER recognizes and takes into consideration the specific needs people with HIV have and which come from different sub-groups and communities affected by HIV, especially women, gay people and bisexual men as well as other men who have sexual intercourse with other men, trans people, heterosexual men, and members of different ethnic groups.

The association STRONGER TOGETHER in its work recognizes and takes into consideration the specific problems and needs of the community of gay and bisexual men and trans people, i.e. the wider male population who have sexual intercourse with men as a community, meaning population which is disproportionately and dominantly affected by HIV in the Republic of Macedonia; this community, i.e. population counts the greatest number of people with HIV who are not aware of their HIV status and who do not have access to therapy and health care.

The association aims to ensure adequate representation of the gay and bisexual men community and trans people community in its operating.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

  • Implementation of equal possibilities, providing the fairest possible balance and representation of all people with HIV in all areas of its operation;
  • Promotion and consistent application of the principles of the national and cultural rights of equality and diversity among all people living with HIV;
  • Promotion of harmony, collaboration, exchange of our knowledge, experience and information, team work, culture of dialogue and communication;
  • Preservation of its autonomy and operating work according to our vision, mission, goal and principles;
  • Creation, establishing and following measurable indicators for monitoring of our activities and results evaluation which will enable greater transparency and responsibility not only in front of our members, but also in front of PLHIV (people living with HIV) community in the Republic of Macedonia, the authorities and the donors;
  • Transparency and accountability, informing the public regarding the activities, sources and methods of financing, application of positive laws, regulations and other domestic and international standards and provisions.

Contact information

Association STRONGER TOGETHER Skopje

2/4 Vasko Karajanov street, Debar Maalo,1000 Skopje

Landline phone: 02 3129 200

Cell phone: 078 235 632

E-mail:

Website: www.zp.mk