Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic took part in the walk along Kney Mihajlova street within campaign “The rights of Roma women are also human rights”, which draws attention to the right for choosing of partner and underage marriages as violations of rights of children and women. The walk was organized by Roma Women Center “Bibija” within the Month of Roma women activism.
Commissioner Jankovic stated that every second complaint on grounds of nationality relates to Roma men and women, mostly because of discrimination at work and during the employment, as well as in attaining of social and health rights. That is another indicator that it is necessary to actively implement all measures and policies in order to enable improvement of the Roma national minority position, stressed Commissioner.
Director of Roma Women Center “Bibija” Slavica Vasic stated that more than 50 percent of Roma women get married before they turn 18 and estimated that the state is not enough engaged in resolving of this problem.
UNICEF Director in Serbia Michel Saint-Lot, Deputy Ombudsman for children rights and gender equality Gordana Stevanovic, participated also in the walk from Republic Square to Kalemegdan, as well as representatives of many civil society organizations dealing with human rights.