UPR Sexual Rights Database

The Strategy for the improvement of the status of women and improvement of gender equality 2011-2015 established a comprehensive and consistent state policy aimed at eliminating the discrimination of women, improving their status, and integrating the principle of gender equality in all areas of activity of system institutions as one of the factors for the modernization and democratization of society. The Strategy covered areas regarding the participation of women in drafting public policy, in decision-making, in business, as well as in the field of education, healthcare, elimination of violence against women, as well as the issue of gender stereotypes in media.
The new National Strategy for Gender Equality 2016-2020 and the Action Plan for 2016-2018 aims one of the strategic goals towards increasing the equality of women and men by applying equal opportunity policies and measures with the objective of, inter alia, improving the status of groups of women discriminated against and vulnerable based on multiple grounds.
The Strategy for the prevention and protection from discrimination and relevant action plan are used to implement activities towards the improvement of the status of persons of diverse sexual orientation.
The Action plan for the exercise of the rights of national minorities is being implemented with the aim of combating discrimination based on ethnic differences. Various media campaigns are stimulating the development of awareness on the culture of diversity among the general public.
The adoption of the Law on Gender Equality is expected. The Draft Law is in the presentation phase, and a positive opinion of the content was provided by over 25 institutions, independent bodies and civil society organizations. The Law will pay particular attention to the prevention of violence against women, as well as measures for their economic empowerment.
The Strategy for the Prevention and Protection from Discrimination in the Republic of Serbia and the relevant Action Plan establish the policy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia through 2018 in the field of prevention and protection from discrimination. It is the first document treating the issue of discrimination in a comprehensive manner.
The Strategy recognizes nine vulnerable social groups exposed to increased risk of discrimination in various areas; based on affiliation with national minorities; women; LGBT persons; persons with disabilities; elderly persons; children; refugees, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable migrant groups; based on religious affiliation and other persons whose health may be a reason for discrimination.
The systematic nature of monitoring the implementation of measures and activities is achieved through the work of the Government Council for monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Prevention and Protection from Discrimination.
The Council was established on 13 August 2015, tasked with monitoring progress in the implementation of measures and activities, adherence to the envisaged timeframes, and timely warnings of challenges in implementing measures under the realization of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy. The Council has 14 members, representatives of state bodies, autonomous province bodies, local self-governments, representatives of civil society organizations and the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media.
Representatives of the competent committee of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ombudsman, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Protection of Personal Data, as well as Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and the provincial Ombudsman have the right to attend Council sessions and otherwise be involved in its work. If needed, the Council may invite representatives of other bodies and organizations to attend their sessions.
Aiming to establish continuity in monitoring the measures and activities envisaged by the Action Plan, as well as more efficient intersectoral cooperation, all sectors tasked with the implementation of goals from the action plan nominated contact persons and their deputies.
The Action Plan is being monitored through periodic reports, with five periodic reports on the implementation of the Action Plan produced thus far, concluding with Q2 2017.
As part of the preparations for drafting a new strategic document, since the current Strategy is valid through 2018, the professional analysis is under way of the effects of the application of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for the Prevention and Protection from Discrimination for the period 2014-2018.
In the field of protection of Roma, national minorities, women, persons with disabilities, strategies and action plans are being implemented for the improvement of the status of these vulnerable social groups.
In accordance with the Rulebook on the contents and method of submitting the Plan of measures for eliminating or mitigating the unequal representation of sexes and the annual report on its implementation to the competent ministry, the Ministry of Labour received 428 plans and reports by businesses in 2016, and another 409 by 31 March 2017.
During 2015 labour inspectors completed 3,157 cases of supervision over the application of the Gender Equality Law, and adopted two decisions to eliminate deficiencies. Employers were ordered to adopt a Plan of measures for eliminating the unequal representation of sexes, as well as to rectify their records on the gender structure of employees.
One deposition was made to the Labour Inspectorate in 2015 regarding a violation of the Gender Equality Law. During 2016, labour inspectors completed 1,632 cases of supervision over the application of the Gender Equality Law, and found no irregularities.
Due to the need of harmonizing the existing Gender Equality Law with the European Union regulations and standards, work is under way on a new draft Law on Gender Equality.
Activities aimed at implementing the recommendation are being continuously implemented.

National Report:
Para 45) All government officials publicly condemned all assaults on LGBT persons and attacks on Roma. All forms of violence, discriminatory behaviour and graffiti with hate speech prompted a public reaction in both print and electronic media, in addition to the prosecution of the perpetrators of such acts.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 20) CoE stated that CoE-Commissioner, while acknowledging the progress made in advancing the rights of LGBTI persons, noted that homophobia and discrimination against them persisted.

National Annex Report:
National strategy for the prevention and suppression of human trafficking, especially women and children and for protection of victims in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2017-2022 was adopted, as well as the Action Plan for the period 2017-2018. Monitoring, reporting and evaluation will be carried out accordingly.
In the assessment of SOCTA (Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment) made in 2015 and published in early 2016, trends and recommendations related to the combat against human trafficking were presented. A public version of the report is available on the website of the Ministry of the Interior.
In order to strengthen the measures for compensation and reintegration of victims, it is planned that a special part of the Strategy for the improvement of the rights of victims and witnesses is dedicated to the efforts on speeding up the decisions on compensation for damages in criminal proceedings.
Protection of victims is continuously implemented through the coordinating role of the Centre for Human Trafficking Victims Protection, with the participation of relevant institutions and non-governmental organisations. Reintegration of victims is part of the process of providing assistance and support.

National Report Annex:
Although the Criminal Code does not contain a criminal offence under the name of trafficking in children, we note that other criminal offences incriminate trafficking in children. In addition to the criminal offence of human trafficking, the following criminal offences are also defined: trafficking in underage persons for adoption; kidnapping of underage person and change of family status.

National Report Annex:
Starting from the obligations of the state provided for by the Istanbul Convention as well as the measures provided for in the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, CBGE initiated the adoption of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Suppression of Domestic and Intimate Partnership Violence against Women and Girls for the period 2017-2020. For the analysis of the previous strategy and development of a new one, as well as for the implementation of numerous awareness-raising activities, the necessary funding was provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) within the project "Integrated Response to Violence against Women and Girls II". The project began in July 2016 and will last until July 2018, with a total value of $ 940,000. The project has been implemented in cooperation with all UN agencies in Serbia and relevant line ministries. Its implementation will contribute to the further development of the social and institutional environment in Serbia with zero tolerance for violence.
In order to encourage women to report cases of domestic and sexual violence by raising awareness about the criminal nature of such actions, the Ministry of Justice organized a national media campaign of raising awareness called "Off Violence".
The Provincial Secretariat for Health Care, in partnership with the Women's Support Centre from Kikinda, has been implementing a three-year project, "Stop - Protect - Help", since January 2016. The project is intended for women in the situation of violence and potential victims, professionals in all sectors at all levels of authority, women's organizations and the entire population on the territory of the province.
The Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence provides for mandatory specialized training for representatives of the competent authorities (police, public prosecution, court). The training program is prepared by the Judicial Academy which also conducts training of judges, public prosecutors and deputy public prosecutors, while the training of competent police officers is conducted by the Criminal Police Academy. From February to May 2017, 410 police officers from 27 police departments and from the MoI headquarters were trained.
Within the Republic Institute for Social Protection, several training programs on the topic of domestic violence have been accredited, which are intended for professional workers employed in social protection institutions (CSW and institutions for accommodation of beneficiaries).

UN Compilation:
Para 56) The UN country team noted that girls and women in Serbia were still frequently exposed to gender-based violence, such as violence in family and partner relationships, sexual harassment and rape.
Para 57) The UN country team noted the adoption in 2016 of a law on the prevention of domestic violence, as well as amendments to provisions of the Criminal Code on rape and related non-consensual sex, stalking, sexual harassment, forced marriage and genital mutilation.
Para 58) CEDAW remained concerned about the increasing number of women murdered by their husbands, ex-husbands or partners and the significant disparity among the number of police interventions, the number of criminal charges filed and the number of persons convicted of domestic violence against women.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 8) POC stated that the protection of women against violence was not efficient enough.
Para 58) JS4 underscored the high number of women murdered in the context of domestic and intimate partner violence. It asserted that the State had no system for monitoring and analysing this phenomenon, a new National Strategy to prevent all forms of violence against women 2016-2020 had not been adopted, and a systematic approach to combatting stereotypes and discrimination of women, promotion of gender equality and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in the education system, had not been established.