On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Gender Equality Committee dedicated its eighteenth sitting to a debate on the subject. The sitting as held on 25 November in the form of a roundtable, chaired by Gordana Paunovic-Milosavljevic, Committee Chairperson. She reminded the participants that the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 17 December 1999, appealing to the governments, international organisations and non-governmental organisations to organise activities dedicated to eliminating violence against women. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia responded to the Interparliamentary Union’s appeal to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, thus joining numerous other parliaments which commemorate the date.

Addressing the participants of the roundtable, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Judita Popovic stressed that the fact that in the 21^st century half of the world’s female population suffers physical and mental abuse and is daily exposed to danger of being abused was unacceptable. She pointed out that every third woman in Serbia has suffered physical abuse in some period of her life, and every eighth girl was a confirmed victim of sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Disabled women are particularly at risk from violence, as well as Roma women and women of alternative sexual orientation.

Judita Popovic stressed that in the last years the legal framework for the protection of women against discrimination and abuse has been improved, and stated that the National Assembly would adopt a new gender equality law by the end of the year.

State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Snezana Lakicevic-Stojacic also pointed out that Serbia has made a considerable step forward in the fight against violence against women by constructing the appropriate legal framework, but that the essence lies in coordinated and concentrated actions by the institutions on all social levels. The fact that over 7000 new cases of violence against women have been recorded in 2008 is worrying, as it indicates an increase of violence in the society, but it also indicates its increased “visibility” as an unacceptable social and economic problem, Snezana Lakicevic-Stojacic stressed. She also pointed out that the tardy court rulings, the severity of the penalties and inadequate public censure are worrying as well.

Representatives of the Gender Equality Directorate at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, the Provincial Secretary of Labour, Employment and Gender Equality of AP Vojvodina, as well as representatives of local gender equality commissions and women’s groups took part in the sitting. The Ombudsman’s role in the protection of rights of women-victims of violence was also presented.

All the participants pointed out the importance of the role of women’s organisations that have been providing services to women victims of violence since the 1990s to the present day.

Guests from Vranje and Leskovac elaborated the campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence”, underway from 25 November to 10 December, the International Human Rights Day. It aims to symbolically express the attitude that fight against violence against women is first and foremost fight for their human rights.

The sitting of the Gender Equality Committee was organised with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) via a project financed by the Delegation of the European Commission to Serbia.