Speaking before more than 200 female students at the panel titled Serbia 2.0 – Time of Successful Women, Ljubicic stressed that the modern IT age is an enormous achievement full of opportunities, the development of which is important for Serbia. The use of IT and establishment of e-administration enables the state to become a service for the citizens and the economy, makes public administration less expensive and more efficient and its operation transparent, which at the same time attracts both domestic and foreign investments. This necessitates an adequate legal framework which is why the National Assembly had passed several important laws in the field, most importantly the laws on the electronic signature, electronic document, electronic commerce, electronic communication, as well as the Law on the Information System of the Republic of Serbia, stressed Ljubicic. In addition to the legal framework, the National Assembly contributed to the development of e-administration by introducing e-parliament in its work, thus ensuring a quick and reliable communication and flow of information and documents of importance for the work of the MPs and the staff of the National Assembly Service, lending full transparency to the work of the National Assembly, its working bodies and each and every MP, enabling rationalization in the use of paper and the funds for the procurement of the same, as well as monitoring documents from the moment they enter the National Assembly and are delivered to the recipient and processor, to the end results.
The use of IT made it possible for the National Assembly and its working bodies to hold electronic sittings, which in turn makes the results of each voting and the document voted on by the MPs and committee members visible to the public. The National Assembly’s webpage has been improved and allows access to frequently requested information not only to the press, but to all interested citizens. In the upcoming period, in order to fully round up the legislative process, the National Assembly should establish an electronic link with the Government which is the most frequent submitter of legislation, added Ljubicic.
Speaking of the position of women and information technologies which are traditionally a male domain, the National Assembly Secretary General reminded of the many problems women come up against first of all as regards their multiple role in the family and at work, lack of support and non-recognition of their role in the development and use of IT, even in strategies adopted in the field in Serbia. She reminded that modern women in Serbia are just as computer literate as men. However, an increased use of IT is a requisite for modern business transactions and the economic empowerment of women, and the state should be more decisive in its efforts to help women entrepreneurs to improve their knowledge and assist their economic empowerment. Gender equality and economic empowerment of women is the fundamental pre-requisite for the improvement of the status of women in society.
Concluding her address, Ljubicic stressed that IT has improved the quality of our everyday life, but professionally women are yet to claim their place in the development and use of information and communication technologies. However, even though the modern IT age represents an enormous achievement, it is also highly susceptible to misuse, with the abuse of children on the Internet being an especially sensitive issue which requires special attention.
The International Day of Girls in ICT is the project of the Global Network of Women in ICT established under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union so as to bring information and communication technologies closer to girls and present job potentials in the sector.