Citizens of Serbia have the possibility to
Citizens of Serbia have the opportunity to protect their rights with the help of local ombudsmen directly and in close community, while the local self-government has an important partner and contributor in these institutions in order to reach the highest level of service delivery to its citizens, said the Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic in an introductory speech at the international conference “Current experiences and directions for further development of the Ombudsman institution” held in Bačka Topola.
Commissioner for the Protection of Equality continually cooperates with local self-government units, carrying out a number of activities in order to improve the knowledge of employees about discrimination and achieving equal treatment for citizens. These are primarily training, publication of manuals and general recommendations for achieving equality, such as the recommendation to improve the participation of women and marginalized groups in decision-making at the local level. She reminded of research published in the Regular Annual Report, which, among other things, refers to the gender equality status at the local level, showing that managerial positions are mostly held by men. Emphasizing the importance of education, Commissioner said that only in the previous year, employees from 75 local self-governments from all over Serbia have undergone trainings.
Commissioner Brankica Jankovic told the participants of the meeting that they have this institution as a secure and stable partner in combating discrimination, implementation of anti-discrimination regulations, promotion of equality at the local level and equal treatment of citizens, in order to ensure effective protection of their rights.
Speakers at the conference were also the Andrea Oricio, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Sucko Bakovic, Ombudsman for Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, Zoran Pavlovic, Provincial Ombudsman and Mladen Nesic, President of the Association of Local Ombudsmen of Serbia. The conference was attended by local ombudsmen, representatives of institutions of neighboring countries, as well as eminent experts in the field of human rights protection. The aim of the conference is to figure out current experiences in the work, to gain new knowledge, strengthen the integrity of institutions, to examine the possibilities for integration and ways to improve work and the protection of human, civil and minority rights. The conference organizer is the Association of Local Ombudsmen of Serbia (ALOS).
