Social protection covers various groups of vulnerable citizens, such as the poor, persons with disability, the elderly, children without parental care, which is why they need support from the society that, if not comprehensive, makes them even more vulnerable, said Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic at the Thematic Social Dialogue on the Social System Protection in the Republic of Serbia.

Commissioner pointed out that the system adequately responded to the challenges during the Covid19 pandemic, and now is the time to improve it in terms of more efficient targeting of aid and support for vulnerable groups. She stated that various types of services stand out as problems, because there are not equaly available and developed at the local level, which especially affects older citizens in remote rural areas. Jankovic also pointed out the need for support for independent living of people with disabilities as well as personal escort services for children with disabilities,  followed by the continuation of the process of disinstitutionalization, and also the improvement of the social protection system and financial support to families with children. Furthermore, work on social inclusion of the poor requires a good harmonization of all protection systems, at national and local levels and more intensive cooperation between state institutions and the civil sector, Commissioner said.

Other speakers at a conference organized by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue and UN Population Fund (UNFPA), were also Ministers Gordana Comic and Darija Kisić Tepavcevic, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia Françoise Jacob and permanent UNDP Coordinator in Serbia Francine Pickup.