The Chairman of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Dr Nebojsa Stefanovic, opened the public hearing saying that the state of Serbia is obliged to offer equal opportunities for a carefree childhood to every child and to enable them grow up with dignity. He added that it is Serbia’s strategic goal to create a healthy and stable society, a society with zero-tolerance for violence, especially against children. Stefanovic urged all the relevant authorities, local self-government, healthcare centres, social welfare centres and schools to fully coordinate their efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect, as the key and most important investment strategy into a healthy society and healthy future for Serbia.

Michel Saint-Lot, UNICEF Director for Serbia, commended Serbia’s anti-discrimination legislation opining that, though discrimination has not been eradicated, this public hearing confirms that Serbia recognises how important it is to do so. He also added that the Report of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality helps define the goals and strategies in the fight against discrimination.

Nevena Petrusic, Commissioner for Protection of Equality, said she was pleased to see that the society is ready to deal with discrimination against children. Petrusic stressed that the Report makes it clear that combating discrimination against children calls for more efficient measures so that every child could be given the opportunity to become a full member of the community.

The members of the Youth Panel of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality presented the Special Report of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality on discrimination against children in Serbia. They said that children with disabilities and Roma children suffer the most discrimination in Serbia. The Report states that, between 2011 and 2013, the Commissioner for Protection of Equality had filed nine anti-discrimination suits, four of which relating to discrimination against children and young adults, filed ten misdemeanour suits, three of which related to children and launched 11 legal initiatives and opinions on regulations, two of which related to children.

At the end of the public hearing, the Chairman of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Dr Nebojsa Stefanovic and the Commissioner for Protection of Equality awarded the members of the Youth Panel with certificates on the completion of their training.

The public hearing was attended by MPs, representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, UNICEF, Office for Human and Minority Rights, Child Rights Centre, Civic Initiative and non-governmental sector.

The public hearing was organised with the support of UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) via project Strengthening the Oversight Role and Transparency of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, conducted in cooperation with the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.