The document is a letter filed with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Macedonia proposing amendments to family law to establish equal shared parenting after divorce by default. Currently, children are forced to primarily live with one parent after divorce with the other parent having only limited contact. The proposal aims to have children spend equal time with both parents and for major decisions to require agreement of both. It is argued this would benefit children's healthy development and well-being by maintaining relationships with both parents. It could also help reduce court and decision-making burdens while avoiding discrimination. Support has been received from parents, professionals, and children's organizations. The letter requests the Ministry's support in proposing the necessary amendments to parliament.

1. Filed a motion for a mutual and responsible parenthood and divorce to MLSP
Yesterday (July 10, 2015) the initiative of the Group of Parents and the First Children
Embassy in the World – Megjashi officially filed for joint and responsible parenthood after
divorce to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Macedonia
To
The Office of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Macedonia,
Mr. Dime Spasov
and
The Department of Marriage and Family in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the
Republic of Macedonia
Ms. Elka Todorova
Dear Mr. Spasov and Ms. Todorova,
As a result of the current practice in which after divorce the children are forced to stay with
only one parent and the other parent is allowed extremely reduced contact with his (her)
children, we began this initiative in order to reverse the current unsustainable situation. We
think it is absurd the state to limit the contact with our children although we want and we can
equally to perform our obligations as parents with full responsibility, as we used to while we

2. were married. Rather than protect the interests of children, with the current practice, children
have additionally increased difficulties – apart from accepting the separation of their parents,
the children have to adjust to the situation where one of their parents has to almost disappear
from their lives.
The model of equal parenting after divorce that we propose is a complete contrast to the
current practice where the children spend most of their time with one of their parents who
alone makes all major decisions for the children and the other parent's role consists in
occasional meetings with the children without to have any significant impact on their growth
and development.
The adoption of this proposal will bring multiple benefits for the society: growing healthy
generations of children who would continue to grow with both parents, using the capacities of
both parents and overtaking the separation of the parents easier;
- Equal status of both parents after divorce and a reference to a mutual agreement in the
interest of the children (the main reason for the low rate of contractual divorce until now is
the unequal position of parents – the parent who knows that she (he) will get the custody of
the children has no interest in contracts with the other parent and often use the children as a
means for dealing with the former partner);
- Faster and easier decision-making processes before the courts and the CSW, and thus free
up resources;
- Avoidance of discrimination and creating unhappy citizens;
Provided that this problem is getting bigger with the increasing number of divorces and now
a growing part of the population, we believe that the time has come to make the necessary
changes in order to protect the interests of the children first and to ensure equal achievement
of the parental rights and obligations after divorce. Underpinning this is the fact that this
initiative shortly received strong support from a wide range of people - parents (mothers and
fathers), professionals from various fields (lawyers, psychologists, pedagogues), the First
Children Embassy in the World, etc.
The draft amendment to the law that we supplied is the first draft version prepared in
consultation with professionals from various fields. We submit it to you first as a competent
Ministry, but we will deliver it to various other institutions that are concerned with this issue.
In the period of September / October we will organize a joint debate on which after the
proposal of change in the law we will spell as proposers professionals from various fields,
and of course you will be invited and you as legislators to expose your opinion. As a result of
that discussion the final version of the draft change of the law should arise.
We hope that your Ministry will stand behind this initiative and will propose the necessary
amendments to the Family Law before the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia.
Sincerely,

3. The Civic Initiative Group of Parents for Introducing Equal Parenting after Divorce
Representative
Naum Ribaroski
And
The First Children Embassy in the World - Megjashi
Executive Director and Founder
MA Dragi Zmijanac