Подготовки на Марш против сиромаштијата во Скопје

Македонија е една од најсиромашните држави во Европа, каде се проценуа дека 30% од населението живее во сиромаштија , а сличен процент се невработени. Земјата дури беше рангирана како најмизерна во светот според Индексот на мизерија на Економист за 2012 година, кој се базира на комбинација на стапка на невработеност и инфлација.

Две македонски невладини организации, „Македонска платформа против сиромаштија“ и „8. септември“ се обидуваат да направат нешто во врска со тоа. Тие организираат Марш против сиромаштијата во главниот град Скопје на 1 март 2014 година, со почеток во 11:55 под симболичен наслов „5 до 12“.

Маршот се организира и промовира преку истоимените настан на Фејсбук и блог, а на Твитер под хаштаговите #5до12 и #5do12. Ќе заврши со концерт под отворено небо насловен Концерт за достоинство. 

Организаторите на маршот ги објаснија причините за него на следниот начин:

The answer is simple: because the citizens need it. This event calls upon all who live in poverty, but also those who want to stand on the side of the people and speak in the name of the voiceless.
We are glad that citizens have started asking “why should we go out,” and are not just joining marches by directive.
Throughout the month of March, we want to show that citizens live worse [than before], that no government so far has contributed to the improvement of their quality of life. That the stats presented to us about economic development and increase of social transfers are not real, that citizens live in misery and poverty. We also consider all previous events successful and good because every time the people go out in the streets they raise their voice for a better life.

Prior to the march, the organizers have been conducting research [mk] with focus groups and organizing public debates to get feedback and information from the people. They strive to get public support so they can initiate changes to the Law on Social Protection and debate in the Parliament for ensuring a decent minimal income for all.

To aid in the promotion and give a voice to the voiceless, several students from the Skopje Faculty of Dramatic Arts made videos in which they read portions of statements from the survey.

The monologue in the above video [mk] is transcribed and translated below:

I am a single mother of two. Unemployed, I take social benefits of 3,000 denars [about 67 US dollars]. In our place it is shameful to say you are poor – everybody will laugh at you. Simply, they won't accept you. This is bad for the kids too. No matter which institution you go to, nobody will help you. I spent years dragging in the social welfare, in all kinds of institutions… Nobody helps. They just say wait, wait… and all your life passes waiting. While the kids have nothing to eat. Those kids need some food. They will also need to go to school. You'll need to clothe them in something. You only make the matters worse if you say you are poor. What should I do with those two kids and those 3,000 denars. What should I feed them? What clothes can I buy?