As part of the ‘Empowering Roma Women for Decision-Making’, Activists of the Roma Women’s Network visited the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. Programme participants toured the building and learned about the history and work of the National Assembly.

At the start of their visit, the Assembly’s guests were welcomed by the Assembly Chairman, Predrag Markovic, who underlined that the National Assembly was the key institution not only in bringing about social change, but also in changing itself; visits such as this, Markovic went on to add, serve as a further incentive to speedier problem-solving. Markovic stressed that he expected that all legislation to regulate aspects of social life directly related to integrating the Roma population would not only incorporate European insight, but also benefit from efforts made to remedy deficiencies found in other legal systems and provide more appropriate solutions.

Women’s Network activists met members of the Gender Equality Committee, the Committee on Labour, Ex-Servicemen’s and Social Issues, the Poverty Reduction Committee, the Committee on Health and the Family, the Justice and Administration Committee, the Education Committee, and the Committee on Interethnic Relations. They acquainted the deputies with problems relating to discrimination in employment and self-employment of Roma women and their participation in public life, family violence, education, housing, Roma status in the health insurance system, and human trafficking.

The deputies expressed their readiness to help solve Roma problems, and presented relevant provisions contained in several laws. It was agreed to hold a meeting between representatives of the Committees involved in today’s visit and the Roma Women’s Network to specify measures to be taken; the meeting is also to include the appropriate ministers and officials of the Standing Conference of Cities and Municipalities, since, as today’s meeting agreed, local bodies can greatly influence the solving of problems faced by Roma women and the Roma community as a whole.