On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, March 8, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Jankovic, organized a visit to the municipality of Priboj, which was awarded the prize for the “City / municipality of equal opportunities” in 2019. The Ambassador of Australia, Ruth Stewart, and the Deputy Ambassador of Great Britain, Rebecca Fabrizi, also visited Priboj along with Commissioner.

At the beginning of the visit, Commissioner and ambassadors met with members of the Working Group for drafting a local action plan for gender equality in the municipality of Priboj 2021-2024 at the Regional Innovation Startup Center, where they were welcomed by the Mayor of Priboj Lazar Rvovic. The meeting was also attended by Malina Stanojević, president of the Women’s Association “Let’s Save the Village”, which organizes, connects and helps entrepreneurs from the Priboj area, as well as a number of women entrepreneurs.

Commissioner welcomed the formation of the Working Group for the development of a local action plan for gender equality in Priboj, because only planned and coordinated measures and activities at the local level can lead to true equality between women and men.

Emphasizing that the position of women in the countryside, which traditionally means working in the household, caring for children and elderly family members, significantly hinders employment, education and economic independence, Commissioner said that organized activities of women in the countryside can stop the negative trend and strengthen the local economy and agriculture.

Commissioner reminded that the economic and social consequences of the pandemic disproportionately affect women, so it is important to think about the needs of women in terms of health and psycho-social well-being, especially given that the level of tensions in the family has significantly raised, leaving women and girls in greater risk of partner and family violence.

Commissioner and ambassadors visited the Homeland Museum, as well as the households “Nestorovic” and “Avramovic”, that belong to members of the Association of Women “Let’s Save the Village”. Commissioner traditionally visits one of the municipalities in Serbia every March 8.