Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Milan Antonijević, together with his colleagues, visited the City Administration of Smederevo, where he met with Mayor Jasmina Vojinović and her associates, Head of the City Administration Ivana Stamenković, City Council member in charge of social protection Nemanja Ivošević, Gender Equality Coordinator Đulijeta Sulić, and member of the Local Coordination Team for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Nataša Veličković.

The discussion addressed activities aimed at improving the position of vulnerable social groups such as older persons, young people and Roma, and in particular the representation of women in leadership positions within the organization of the City of Smederevo. The Commissioner and the Mayor agreed that it is necessary to work on empowering women to run for office in local communities as well.

The focus was also on numerous activities aimed at improving the position of persons with disabilities, including the provision of personal assistants and finding a systemic solution for training pedagogical assistants for children with disabilities and developmental difficulties.

Antonijević welcomed the initiatives of the City of Smederevo aimed at inclusion and equal life for all citizens, and reminded the Mayor of the competition for the “Municipality/City of Equal Opportunities” award, which the Commissioner grants every year.

After the meeting in the City Administration, the Commissioner visited Mali Krivak, one of the largest Roma settlements in Serbia, where he spoke with residents about the protection of their rights and the importance of reporting every form of unequal treatment, and also held a brief meeting with activists from the Centre for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking.

The visit to Smederevo is part of the regular activities of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality in cities and municipalities across Serbia, aimed at improving cooperation with local self-governments, providing advisory support in the application of anti-discrimination regulations and bringing the institution closer to citizens.