The presentation was co-organised by the Women’s Parliamentary Network, Incest Trauma Centre – Belgrade and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

WPN Coordinator Vera Paunovic addressed the assembly stressing that this was the first time 18 November - European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse was being observed and Serbia was among the first countries to do it. She informed the guests that the public hearing on the first National study on the social problem of sexual abuse of children in the Republic of Serbia in September was an excellent opportunity to exchange opinions and comments on the Draft National Strategy that is being presented today.

“I would like to say I am very pleased with the successful cooperation between the Women’s Parliamentary Network and Incest Trauma Centre – Belgrade, best illustrated by today’s gathering and the fact that our joint initiative to eliminate the statute of limitation for sexual crimes against children has resulted in an amendment of the Criminal Code”, the WPN Coordinator concluded.

The guests were also greeted by Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development Srdjan Verbic who commended the event as a good way for our country to constructively join the commemoration of the European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. He said we must not shut our eyes before the fact that sexual abuse of children does exist in Serbia. “Today, we present the First Draft Education Strategy to for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children in the Republic of Serbia in order to address the issue the best way we can. We have to accept the fact that sexual abuse of children does exist in Serbia as it was ascertained by the national study. Therefore, school personnel should act accordingly and respond to the problem in a professional manner and in line with national and international regulations”, Verbic said.

The Minister believes that the national strategy is an important step toward an action plan which would define specific activities, roles and responsibilities, set a timeline for the realisation of plans and ascertain how the results are to be monitored. That will bring us closer to an efficient protection of children against sexual abuse and create a safe environment for their development, which is a common interest and strategic commitment of all the stakeholders in the matter.

The First Draft Education Strategy to for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children in the Republic of Serbia was presented by Dusica Popadic of Incest Trauma Centre – Belgrade who said that the strategy’s vision is to have all the educational institutions in Serbia introduce and implement preventive programmes and measures that would make sure every child grows up in a safe environment, free from of sexual abuse of any kind. On the occasion, she also spoke about the Serbian Constitution and the Convention on the Rights of the Child stressing that the fundamental tenets of the strategy come straight from the supreme legislative act and the Convention – the child’s right to life, survival and development, non-discrimination, child’s best interest and the right to participate, and they apply to every single child.

MPs Marija Obradovic, Aleksandra Djurovic, Dubravka Filipovski, Elvira Kovacs, Aida Corovic, Grozdana Banac and Jelisaveta Veljkovic also attended the gathering.