Danka Spasovski – Feminist education is essential in peace activism

Danka Spasovski is a licensed psychologist, consultant for women who have experienced physical, psychological, and sexual violence and trauma, and a stipend recipient of the Reconstruction Women’s Fund. As part of the campaign “Feminist Education – Fight for Peace,” we talked to her about the stipend program and the importance of feminist education today.

1. What do you do, and in what area has the Žarana Papić stipend helped you?

I provide psychological support to women. I started working at the Autonomous Women’s Center, directly assisting women who have survived violence. This way, I gained a lot of knowledge related to the concept of trauma and ways to support women in their recovery process. My profession is psychology, and the education I completed with the help of the “Žarana Papić” stipend was training in conducting assertiveness training. This allowed me to help women with experience of violence regain their shaken self-confidence and self-esteem on multiple occasions.

2. How do you think the stipend has contributed to your personal and academic activist path?

The stipend has personally helped me to build upon and improve the knowledge I already had. I became more confident in myself, and the women I worked with gave very positive feedback about the training I prepared for them. Some of the women mentioned that, through the course we worked on together, they gained the strength to address certain issues they couldn’t tackle before.

3. How do you believe the stipend contributes to the feminist movement?

I believe the stipend contributes to the feminist movement by providing women with the opportunity to advance their knowledge, which in turn brings them more independence, opportunities, and possibilities. In my specific case, the knowledge I gained in certain areas allowed me to apply it and help many women who, due to patriarchal constraints, have fewer opportunities to empower themselves and realize their full potential as independent individuals.

4. The slogan of this year’s campaign is “Feminist Education – Fight for Peace.” How do you see the role and significance of feminist education?

Feminist education is indispensable in peace activism because fundamental principles of feminism include the absence of hierarchy, changes in power distribution, equality, and support for those with less power. The very nature of war involves an asymmetric position where greater power is abused, leading to violations of human rights, degradation of humane and human values, and the promotion of force, power, patriarchy, and lack of solidarity. In such circumstances, women are directly and indirectly endangered, and militarism specifically targets women as victims in various ways, even long after the end of hostilities. Wars perpetuate and continue patriarchy due to hierarchy, the display of force, physical violence, and the promotion of death values. Therefore, I believe that feminist perspectives and understanding are an essential part of the peace movement.

Interview: Nataša Ivaneža