Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic participated at the round table “Gender inequality at the labor market in Serbia” , stressing in the introductory speech that true equality of women and men is a precondition for the progress of every society and that therefore, according to data from the institution, citizens are most eager to report discrimination in the area of labor and employment, which is also confirmed by the number of complaints that are being submitted to Commissioner on these grounds every year.
The most common situation in practice is that women are discriminated after the return from maternity leave or child care leave, by transferring them to lower working positions which are less paid, or by putting them in more difficult position through their professional evaluation, said Commissioner and stressed that young women, but also those older than 45, have the greatest difficulties in the employment process. When we add the expected traditional role of women to take care of children, ill and older family members, household and house work, we see that women who want to be successful in their professions are having much harder time, because they have not only to be equal but much better than men in order to reach managerial positions and achieve equal remuneration, emphasized Commissioner.
There is growing number of companies who are ready to implement Code of Equality in their business, excepting the respect of equality principle, not only as their legal obligation, but as a principle that contributes to better business and in fact constitutes integral part of a successful company, concluded Commissioner.
Other speakers at the conference were also State Secretary for Gender Equality of the Ministry for Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Issues Stana Bozovic, Director of UN Woman in Serbia Milena Rikanovic, National Employment Service Director Zoran Martinovic, Labor Inspectorate Director Stevan Djurovic, general secretary of Foundation Center for Democracy Natasa Vuckovic, member of Managerial Board of Belgrade Center for Human Rights Vesna Petrovic, as well as representatives of Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Association of Business Women, companies IKEA, Coca Cola Hellenic and Telenor.
