Emphasizing that joint initiatives and strengthening cooperation at the local level are of key importance for improving the position of the local community and achieving full equality, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, visited the City Municipality of Mladenovac, where he met with the President of the Municipality, Suzana Vasić.

During the meeting, issues of gender equality, discrimination against older persons, as well as the position of homeless people and national minorities were discussed. Special attention was given to the position of Roma men and women, with a focus on healthcare, education, employment, and social protection. The possibilities provided by the new law regarding the legalization of buildings within informal settlements were also discussed, as an important issue for realizing the right to dignified housing and equality of citizens.

The meeting was attended by Milan Nikolić from the Commissioner’s institution, Assistant to the President of the City Municipality of Mladenovac Nemanja Glišić, Deputy President of the Belgrade City Assembly Igor Jovanović, and Dejan Marković from the Roma Forum of Serbia. On this occasion, Marković presented to the Commissioner the guide “Anti-Discrimination Tool for Local Actors to Recognize, Suppress, and Combat Anti-Gypsyism,” which was developed within the project “Positive Narratives on Roma Culture and Cultural Heritage.”