SERBIA: Paunovic: Position of women in Serbia improves

Serbia has made certain progress in terms of the position of women, officials concluded at the session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women during which the Serbian government delegation presented the report on the implementation of the international Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Director of the Office for Human and Minority Rights Suzana Paunovic told Tanjug that the Serbian delegation successfully presented the second and third report on CEDAW implementation at the 55th session of the Committee in Geneva on Thursday.

The report and the presentation of the Serbian delegation at the Committee session were qualified as very positive, Paunovic said.

She announced that the Committee would file concluding comments to Serbia for the report and recommendations.

The Serbian delegation informed the Committee about the legislative and institutional measures which Serbia is implementing in order to improve the position of women.

According to a release issued by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy, the task of the delegation headed by State Secretary in the Ministry Labour Brankica Hankovic was to present the second and third regular report on the implementation of the Convention and to extend assurances that Serbia respects the obligations taken on through the ratification of the document.

The delegation presented to the Committee the measures which the government has carried out and is still conducting in the reduction of social exclusion, the fight against discrimination against women and the implementation of strategic documents and laws in the sector.

A majority of the Committee's questions covered the protection of women from violence, mechanisms for the protection of victims of human trafficking, employment, education, healthcare for women, availability of justice, rights and services of social protection, participation in political and public life.

Special concern was expressed in connection to the position of vulnerable groups of women, such as the Roma women, women with disabilities, women in rural environments and especially elderly women.