The Chairman of the Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality Meho Omerovic briefed the Belarusian delegation, which is actually a women’s parliamentary delegation, on the legal framework guaranteeing gender equality in Serbia.

“The right to gender equality is guaranteed by the Serbian Constitution and laws, as well as ratified international agreements. I am proud to say that Serbia has ratified all the gender equality conventions, with the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, the so-called Istanbul Convention, ratified in 2013 taking pride of place”, stressed Omerovic.

He informed the Belarusian parliamentarians about the institution of Commissioner for Protection of Equality headed since its beginnings by women and the other laws promoting the status of women in society and guaranteeing their participation in political life. He opined that practice has shown that there can be no equality without the economic empowerment of women and added that despite the progress achieved, as seen in the increased numbers of women high state officials, their number remains low in the decision-making positions which hold actual power.

Chairman Omerovic said that the Committee had in the past two years concentrated its efforts on combating violence against women because it is a big social problem, adding that in the past year 42 women were victims of domestic violence.

“If a man beats his wife, that is not a private problem, it is a problem of the society and the state” concluded Omerovic.

Committee members Dubravka Filipovski and Stefana Miladinovic briefed their Belarusian counterparts on the percentage of women in the legislative and executive power and at the local level. They also informed them about the effect of the implementation of laws ensuring an increased involvement of women in Serbia’s political life.

Besides the Chairman, Meho Omerovic, the meeting was also attended by Committee members Stefana Miladinovic, Dubravka Filipovski, Jelisaveta Veljkovic and Ljiljana Malusic.

The delegation of the National Council on Gender Policy under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus also met with the members of the PFG with Belarus.

The Head of the PFG with Belarus Dragomir J. Karic said that the economic cooperation between Serbia and Belarus is at a very high level, but that there is still room for improvement.

“The more we work on strengthening economic ties, the better the cooperation between our countries and the benefit to our citizens”, concluded Karic.

The member of the PFG with Belarus and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Veroljub Arsic said that the Republic of Serbia is an EU candidate country and that is its strategic commitment.

“Serbia does not want to disrupt its relations with true friends such as the Belarus people, which we had ample proof of in the past years, including today when the country voted against Kosovo’s UNESCO bid”, stressed Arsic.

For it he thanked the Belarusian delegation on the behalf of the National Assembly, reaffirming that it was a sign of true friendship. He hopes that the political and economic relations between Serbia and Belarus will improve to the both countries’ benefit.

Talking to the members of the PFG with Belarus, Irina Petkun, member of the Council of the Republic of Belarus, who headed the delegation of the National Council on Gender Policy under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, said that the improved economic cooperation between the two countries would be followed by improvements in their cultural cooperation. She said she was pleased that Serbia endorses Belarusian initiatives in the United Nations, especially the initiative concerning human trafficking. She also hopes that the Serbian President’s visit to Belarus would contribute to the promotion of relations between the two countries.

Besides the Head of the PFG with Belarus, the meeting was also attended by PFG members Veroljub Arsic, Marijan Risticevic, Aleksandar Markovic, Krstimir Pantic, Nebojsa Tatomir and Dragan Todorovic.

Besides Irina Petkun, member of the Council of the Republic of Belarus, the delegation of the National Council on Gender Policy under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus also comprised Elena Shamal, Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Commission of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on Health, Physical Culture, Family and Youth Policy, and Marianna Shchetkina, Minister of Labour and Social Protection.