Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, spoke at the opening ceremony of a two-day conference “Advisory meeting of blind and poor vision women in Serbia”, organized by Blind Persons Union in Vrnjačka Banja. Commissioner Janković reminded that, according to the number of complaints, persons with disabilities, along with women, are among the most discriminated population in Serbia, which is also supported by results of research of Commissioner for the Protection of Equality indicating that citizens perceive this group as the most vulnerable. According to her words, women with disabilities are exposed to risk of multiplied discrimination, especially women and girls with mental difficulties. That is exactly why the greatest number of recommendation from the Commissioner’s Annual Report is related to improvement of position of persons with disabilities and issues of gender equality. Commissioner also presented examples of the latest recommendations of measures that were addressed to the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Issues, Ministry of Justice, Public Notary Chamber and other bodies, related to realization the rights of persons with disabilities. Recommendations were related to elimination of problems that occurred in providing services and using of stamp with engraved facsimile, as well as to exemption of payment for public notary services related to court witnesses, interpreters and likewise.

Commissioner pointed to importance of cooperation with civil sector and said that they present examples of how joint activities in actual cases contribute to overall improvement of position of persons with disabilities.

In such way, possibilities for people with disabilities to become equal members of society are created, concluded Commissioner Janković and invited all attendants to address Commissioner for the Protection of Equality in actual cases of discrimination.

Speakers at the conference were also Serbian Blind Persons Union president, Miodrag Stošić, vicepresident of the Union, Jelena Stojanović, Vesna Bondžić from “Milica” Women Center and others.