Today, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, opened the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians (GCWP) of the Inter-Parliamentary Union entitled "Advancing parity: Breaking the barriers of gender stereotypes and negative social norms".
On the occasion, Brnabic said that it is important to ensure equal representation of women in decision-making processes, and that it is necessary to create conditions that provide the same opportunities for both girls and boys.
"Our responsibility is to create conditions in which every girl has the same opportunities as every boy, to ensure that every woman has the opportunity to fully participate in public life, that her voice is heard, respected and valued, that her expertise is recognized and that her success is not an exception, but the rule. Today we are talking about how to empower women and enable them to become decision-makers," said Brnabic.
She said that this conference is of great importance, not only for women, nor only for parliaments, but for every society that strives to be democratic, successful, just and equitable. Brnabic added that when we talk about gender equality, we are talking about the quality of institutions, the strength of democracy and whether the potential of the entire society or just one part of it is being used. She pointed out that today we are surrounded by stereotypes that are too often accepted as something natural, and we often simply accept them.
"Stereotypes are not the natural state of society, but patterns and customs that we have inherited, and everything that man has created, man can change. That is precisely why we are here today, because we want to finally leave them behind. Parliaments are places where laws are passed, but also changed. However, they are much more than that - they are institutions that shape our societies, and we in Serbia have made significant steps forward in recent years," said the National Assembly Speaker.
Brnabic recalled that she was the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister of Serbia, and that 40% of parliamentary seats in the National Assembly are held by women. We have four female National Assembly deputy speakers, women perform some of the key offices in the executive branch and other state institutions, and we also have a woman at the head of the National Bank of Serbia, said the National Assembly Speaker.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us and a lot of room for progress, and we are fully aware of that. However, we have shown that change is possible, that when there is political will and awareness of the importance of equality, the entire society benefits from it," Brnabic added.
She expressed her belief that this conference will deepen cooperation among parliaments around the world, which in today's geopolitical circumstances and conditions is not only desirable, but necessary, because parliaments, as democratic institutions, have a key role in promoting equal opportunities, inclusive decision-making and greater participation of women in political and public life.
"Equality is not a goal in itself, but a prerequisite for better democracy, better institutions and a better society. That is why I believe that parliaments can be a powerful driver of political change. I also believe that together we can build societies in which every woman, every child and every man will have the opportunity to realize their full potential," Brnabic concluded.
She thanked the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians for supporting the National Assembly’s bid to host this conference, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, who supported its candidacy, as well as the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Snezana Paunovic, who advocated for Belgrade to become the host of this conference. She added that the conference is being held in the year in which Serbia celebrates 135 years of membership in the IPU, and that Belgrade is proud to host, for the third time, a major event by this international organisation. She invited all present to the EXPO 2027 exhibition, which will be held in Belgrade next year.
The Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians (GCWP), organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, entitled "Advancing parity: Breaking the barriers of gender stereotypes and negative social norms", will be held in Belgrade from 2 to 4 June 2026. The conference is attended by representatives of 65 countries around the world: heads and deputy heads of parliaments, members of parliament, experts and representatives of numerous international organisations.
Photo gallery: © Milos Miskov
