The Committee on the Rights of the Child organised a public hearing on "The need to introduce a day care centre for children in conflict with the law, parents, school or community and the establishment of a special institution for treatment and rehabilitation" in the National Assembly.
National Assembly Speaker and Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ana Brnabic, spoke at the opening of the public hearing, stressing that this Committee pays special attention to issues related to the prevention and suppression of all forms of violence involving children.
"The problems of children in conflict with the law, both those who are criminally responsible and those who are not, and do not have appropriate family and community support, have been recognised as a topic that the Committee and the National Assembly should address," said the Speaker and thanked Member of Parliament Dr Milica Marusic Jablanovic for initiating and organising this public hearing, the purpose of which is to obtain information and expert opinions on this important topic.
Minister of Family Care and Demography Jelena Zaric Kovacevic stressed that what we must not forget is that children who are in conflict with the law, parents, school or community are not criminals by nature, but are most often victims of very complex family, socio-economic circumstances, and in certain cases health problems. She believes that it is therefore necessary for all relevant sectors, through close cooperation, to ensure quality improvement and respect for children's rights, as well as to provide assistance and support measures for their families.
Ombudsman Zoran Pasalic and Special Advisor to the Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Miroslav Vasic also delivered opening remarks.
In the continuation of the public hearing, Dr Marija Maljkovic, docent at the Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation and expert in the field of special pedagogy, Zoran Milacic, director of the Centre for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth Zvecanska, and Ruzica Petrovic Gasevic, school psychologist, president of the Section of Secondary School Psychologists of the Serbian Psychological Society, spoke about social protection services in working with children in conflict with the law, their parents, school or community.
Aleksandra Stepanovic from the Directorate for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions of the Ministry of Justice and Vera Sofrenovic from the Council for Monitoring and Improving the Work of Criminal Procedure Authorities and the Execution of Criminal Sanctions against Minors, spoke about the existing conditions for the achievement of the purpose of the educational measures imposed on juvenile offenders.
The public hearing brought together representatives of ministries and institutions of relevant departments, local governments and civil society, as well as the professional public, with whom the MPs participated in the discussion that followed.
