Representatives of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality visited Roma families who are living in a container accommodation in Makis, after A11 Initiative for Economic and Social Rights have informed us that they had findings about the intention of the Secretariat for Social Protection of the City of Belgrade to compulsory evict Roma families who do not have contracts on the use of housing units.

The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic expects that the entire process of their housing and integration must be implemented in cooperation and with the active participation of the residents, respecting their needs and the right to participate in decision-making, including relocating and means of social integration, in accordance with international standards and guidelines for displacement citizens from informal settlements, concludes the Commissioner.

Commissioner appeals to the authorities to find an adequate solution for all families, especially bearing in mind that there are single mothers, children, pregnant women and one person with health problems among them, and emphasizes that the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights guarantees the right to adequate housing and protection against forced evictions.