Children’s Rights Working Group members Snezana Stojanovic-Plavsic, Nikola Krpic, Zlata Djeric, Milan Stanimirovic, Milica Vojic Markovic, Snezana Sedlar and Meho Omerovic, headed by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and Chairperson of the Children’s Rights Working Group Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, visited the local self-government in Leskovac as part of the Working Group’s activities. The visit was realised in cooperation with UNICEF with whom the National Assembly had signed a Memorandum of Understanding, aiming to contribute to enhance the Parliament’s role in improving the position of children in Serbia.

The visit to Leskovac was organised as an activity of Children’s Rights Working Group in view of the fact that this local self-government had not adopted a local action plan for children, aiming to promote LAP as a strategic document and integral part of the town’s development plan and to initiate the process of its drafting, as well as brief the deputies on the situation and initiatives in local self-governments as regards the protection, realisation and violation of children’s rights.

The National Assembly Speaker, deputies, UNICEF Deputy Director Leslie Miller and UNICEF representatives met at the Jablanica Administrative District building with the Head of the Jablanica Administrative District Vladan Marinkovic, Prokuplje Local Action Plan for Children Team Coordinator Dejan Kostadinovic, representatives of local organisations dealing with children’s rights protection and representatives of O-RUK!, team of children and young people from Prokuplje, as well as children from Leskovac.

Greeting all present, the National Assembly Speaker and Working Group Chairperson Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic expressed gratitude to the hosts for making the organisation of such a gathering possible and enabling better insight and exchange of experiences concerning the protection and realisation of children’s rights. “I am sure this will be one of many gatherings since we share the same goal – to do all in our power, within our purview, and more to make sure children in Serbia grow up to be healthy, well educated, and have the opportunity to develop to their full capacity”, Djukic-Dejanovic said. The Assembly Speaker briefed those present on the Working Group’s work and activities so far.

UNICEF Deputy Director Leslie Miller stressed that this organisation has been successfully cooperating with various municipalities in Serbia for years and that their priority is to share experiences with all local self-governments which aim at ensuring equal conditions and equality for all children. She added that the municipalities where the LAP document was realised have become better places for children’s development, significantly improving the quality of life in all families, particularly marginalised ones.

In the continuation, the gathering was addressed by Olivera Zecevic, member of the Council on the Rights of the Child of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, presenting the National Action Plan for Children adopted by the Government on 12 February 2004, which defines the Republic of Serbia policy on children for the period until 2015.

As an example of good practice, Dejan Kostadinovic presented the realisation process and results of the LAP in the local self-government of Prokuplje.

In her address, Dr Ana Pesikan tried to bring the LAP closer to the guests, stressing that all that was being done for children should be done along with the children. She pointed out the importance of an active involvement of children and young people in making decisions on issues that concern them. UNICEF representative Milica Bojic’s interactive presentation on the challenges and importance of including children and young people in the LAP encouraged the young people of Leskovac and Prokuplje to open a discussion with the guests posing various questions and making comments.

Representatives of O-RUK! team of children and young people from Prokuplje presented their work that involved numerous actions implemented in the municipality under the slogan: Citizens made to suit children.

Having completed their address, the students, participants of the gathering, asked questions and pointed out the difficulties they face daily, both in school and extracurricular activities.