UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 6) The following laws were also adopted, namely: Law on Gender Equality ...

Para 7) In the past the following strategies were adopted, namely: National Strategy for Improving Position of Women and Promoting Gender Equality (2009) ...

Para 42) RS created a normative and strategic framework for strengthening the position of women by adopting the Law on Gender Equality, National Strategy for Improving the Position of Women and Promoting Gender Equality with the Action Plan for its implementation for the period 2010-2015, as well as National Action Plan for the implementation of UN SC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in RS for the period 2010-2015.

Para 43) The Law regulates the general principle of equal opportunities, representation and access to bodies of executive authorities and possibilities of political actions. Accordingly, the Law on Amendments and Addenda to the Law on Election of Deputies, which
stipulates that for every three candidates on the electoral list, in the order they are listed (first group of three places, second group of three places and so on until the end of the list), there shall be at least one candidate of the gender less represented on the list. The same solution was envisaged by the Law on Amendments and Addenda to the Law on Local Elections. These solutions have for the first time been applied in national and local elections scheduled for 6 May 2012.

Para 44) According to the Law, political parties shall be obliged to adopt an action plan every four years with specific measures for encouraging and promoting equal representation of women and men in party's organs, in nomination of candidates for deputies and aldermen, and they shall be obliged to upload the plan on their official website.

Para 45) The National Strategy includes areas that affect participation of women in creating policies and decision-making in the field of economy, education, health, violence against women, and issues related to the media and public opinion.

Para 46) The Provincial Secretariat for EEGE adheres to the implementation of the Law on
Gender Equality and Decision on Gender Equality. By conducting activities related to
raising awareness and informing about and promoting the gender equality concept, the Provincial Secretariat for EEGE advocates greater involvement of women in decision- making processes.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 4) AWC stated that Serbia had established legislative framework related to the prohibition of discrimination, gender equality and protection from gender-based violence. However, insufficient attention was paid to the implementation of this legal framework in practice. The Gender Equality Law, after two years of implementation, had no effect on the actual equality of men and women. There were no publicly available reports on the effects of the implementation of the law.

Para 15) AI noted a number of positive measures taken to tackle discrimination, including the adoption of an Anti-Discrimination Law in March 2009 and the establishment of the Office of Commissioner for the Protection of Equality in May 2010. At the same time, AI stated that in practice, vulnerable groups, including minority communities, continued to suffer from discrimination and faced difficulties exercising their rights.

National Report Annex:
The new Law on Public Assembly came into force in February 2016, harmonized with contemporary standards of police work in the field of public assembly, and supporting the law to the freedom of peaceful assembly, emphasizing this right under Article 2 of the Law.
All prosecutors’ offices, under their regular competence and with the aim of protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms, act on criminal reports of violations prescribed by the Criminal Code. Endangerment of security as per Article 138 of the CC, as well as Racial and other discrimination as per Article 387 of the CC incriminate violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms based on differences in race, colour, religion, nationality, ethnicity or another personal characteristic.
Aiming to assess the need for potential preventive measures for the prevention of violence, incitement to violence and online hate speech, supervision was implemented over groups on social networks known for previous cases of displeasure with the organization and holding of the Pride Parade.
Members of the police took part in several meetings organized on the topic of improving the status of the LGBTI community. Measures and activities have been implemented regarding the safety of sexually diverse persons, further activities were considered in this field with representatives of 15 non-government organizations working on the protection of the rights of sexually diverse persons, the Ombudsman, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and representative of the Negotiation Team.
Activities aimed at implementing the recommendation are being continuously.

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.

UN Compilation:
Para 13) … The UN country team asserted that, regarding the recommendations made during the previous review on the right to peaceful assembly of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, Belgrade had successfully held annual pride events in three consecutive years (2014-2016).

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 Report Annex:
A four-day training for the employees at the Centre for Human Trafficking Victims Protection and the key associate organization was organised on the topic of the work with sexually exploited children - "Access to Children Victims of Human Trafficking and Principles of a Forensic Interview with the Emphasis on Sexual Exploitation of Children".
In 2016 the project "Prevention of Trafficking in Children and Youth in Serbia" was implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and Centres for Human Trafficking Victims Protection, with the support of UNITAS Fund.
The project dealt with the prevention of trafficking of children in education and consisted of two parts: raining of educational experts (primary and secondary schools) for the implementation of national indicators for preliminary identification of victims of trafficking in education, and the work with children on the prevention of human trafficking. Indicators are applied in all systems, with coordination and consultations with the Centre for Human Trafficking Victims Protection.
Trainings were carried out in the reception and transit centres to identify possible victims of trafficking among migrants and refugees, with guidelines for referral; trainings were also carried out for the employees of the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia (KIRS) for the preliminary identification of victims of trafficking among children and adult migrants. Trainings were conducted for application of Standard Operative Procedures for the protection of children of refugees/migrants.
Through the Programme of vocational specialization of police officers in the framework of the compulsory education in 2016, a seminar was held on the topic of "Legal provisions governing the issues of human trafficking, illegal migrations and human smuggling" - attended by 159 police officers.
An integral part of the compulsory education within the Programme were the following thematic units: international legal obligations of the Republic of Serbia, national legislation, illegal passage of the state border and smuggling of people, human trafficking, national mechanisms, legal basis for providing humanitarian residence.
With the view of standardisation and uniform implementation of this thematic field, the Division for Vocational Education and Training - Department for the implementation of training - has prepared a manual and a presentation fully compatible with the teaching content of the topic.
The Activities aimed at implementing the recommendation are being continuously implemented.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 11) POC indicated that there was no system in place to prevent and combat the living conditions and work of children on the street. POC asserted that the Law on Public Law and Order did not treat children involved in child begging, prostitution and other forms of exploitation as victims.