STATEMENT OF SERBIA ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY, OCTOBER, 2015
STATEMENT OF SERBIA, October, 2015
Based on its firm commitment to the goals and objectives of the resolution, in 2010, my country adopted a national action plan to implement resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security in the Republic of Serbia over the period 2010-2015. Its seven chapters, encompassing seven general goals, 15 specific goals and 106 activities, have been successfully implemented over the past five years. The action plan established a structure of gender-equality institutions and mechanisms, such as the Government’s political council, the governmental multisector coordination body, the National Assembly Committee on Gender Equality, analytical groups and research teams, counsellors and ministers/directors for gender equality, which have been established, for the time being, only within the defence and security system. It also established a colleague-assistance mechanism, called a “person of trust”. The structure incorporated the standards of the United Nations, European Union and NATO Partnership for Peace programme in the field of gender equality.
STATEMENT OF SERBIA, October, 2015
In order to further the normative and effective protection of women, in particular protection against violence in partnership and family relations, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the media and other stakeholders have instituted a number of projects aimed at taking preventive measures to reduce violence against women and children. Projects have also been devised in the field of education, both by the Government and by civil society, and are being implemented in Serbia and the region. My country has maintained intensive cooperation with international actors, including UN-Women, the United Nations Development Programme/South-Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, NATO, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
STATEMENT OF SERBIA, October, 2015
Two years ago, the 2014 Swiss and 2015 Serbian OSCE Chairmanships identified gender equality as one of their priorities in the joint workplan for their consecutive Chairmanships. In June 2014, the first- ever OSCE Gender Equality Review Conference took stock of progress in the implementation of the 2004 OSCE General Action Plan, as well as a number of follow-up Ministerial Council decisions. It identified implementation gaps, challenges and lessons learned since the adoption of the Action Plan in 2004. The current Serbian OSCE chairmanship is working on the adoption of an addendum to the Action Plan at the meeting of the Ministerial Council in Belgrade, in December, in order to update the Gender Action Plan and operationalize the recommendations developed during the 2014 Gender Review Conference. Over the past decade, the OSCE has made important strides in implementing measures to achieve gender equality in its policies and programmes, including in the political-military dimension. That development goes hand in hand with a steadily growing global awareness of the importance of the women and peace and security agenda.