Committee Chairman Meho Omerovic presented the Committee’s activities, stressing that it focused on combating discrimination against, first and foremost, the most vulnerable population categories – the Roma, persons with disabilities and the LGBT population.

He said that a lot has been done on the matter from the legislative point of view – in 2009 the National Assembly passed the Anti-Discrimination Law establishing the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, in 2013 the Government passed the Strategy for the Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, while the 2013 amendments and modifications to the Criminal Code made hate crime an aggravating circumstance i.e. special circumstance for the determination of sentence.

Omerovic stated that after the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), the Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality concentrated its efforts on combating violence against women, since the number of victims of domestic violence puts Serbia among the top countries of the Council of Europe. He added that the ratification itself is not sufficient and all the government authorities should start harmonising the pertinent legislation with the Istanbul Convention.

Besides the cooperation with NGOs, Omerovic also drew attention to the Committee’s significant cooperation with the representatives of independent regulatory bodies on the improvement of human rights, implementation of laws and international treaties.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks commended the Committee’s cooperation with independent regulatory bodies, especially the Ombudsman, Commissioner for Protection of Equality and the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection. He said that the role of these institutions is especially important in times of economic crisis due to the increasing numbers of vulnerable population categories, which is why they should be supported and strengthened. He was also interested in the mandate of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality which is to expire in May, and Omerovic assured him that the National Assembly is doing all in its power to make sure the new Commissioner is elected in due time.

The Commissioner for Human Rights commended the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities pointing out that its implementation should be monitored, especially as regards the work capability of persons with disabilities. He also pointed out that persons with disabilities should be deinstitutionalised and the approach to their issues should be changed by improving these people’s living standards and their inclusion in society. Roma children staying out of school was listed as one of the core problems relating to the position of Roma.