Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Jankovic, took part at the international conference “Towards overall solutions of introduction of gender perspectives in high education policies” that was organized by the Faculty of Law at Belgrade University, with support from OSCE Mission in Serbia.

Commissioner stressed that legal equality is not enough, considering that due to certain customs and social behaviour patterns, women are still in less favourable position than men and accented that educational system is the starting point for changing of gender stereotypes.

In high education, it is not enough just to gain academic knowledge in certain area, but to obtain knowledge about gender equality, said Commissioner and pointed out that possibly the greatest challenge is the marginalization of education role, especially in professions with majority of women employed, such are education, health and social care etc.

It is necessary to prescribe the obligation for all public authority bodies and private employers to develop internal mechanisms for suppression and protection against discrimination and for leading gender balanced personnel policies, to integrate topics that develop culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and respect of diversity in educational programs and to eliminate discriminatory and other content that support stereotypes and prejudices, concluded Commissioner.

Great number of experts in fields of international law, gender equality, high education and sociology sciences from universities in Serbia, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden took part in this conference, as well as Vice-rector of Belgrade University, Ivanka Popovic, Head of Negotiation Team for the Accession of Republic of Serbia to EU, Tanja Miscevic, president of National Assembly Board for Human and Minority Rights Meho Omerovic and others.