Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, emphasized the significance of including women in the decision making process in the field of security, adding that the Ministry of Defense and Serbian Army noted rising number of women in all categories.

“First of all, it is essential to establish a new strategic action frame, by adopting the proposed draft of National Action Plan for Implementation of Resolution 1325”, said the Commissioner at the discussion on the “UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security: impact on local communities“, organized by Belgrade Center for Security Policy, with the support of the OSCE Mission in Serbia.

“It is necessary to provide support to the establishment of local security councils in all municipalities throughout Serbia, to assist their cooperation with local police offices and finally to upgrade their capacities, in order to act in the most efficient way within their authority related to improvement of the security at the local level.”

She emphasized the most important topics that need to be addressed, such as sexual and gender based violence, domestic violence, with special attention to violence against women and elderly in rural areas, all types of discrimination at the workplace and in proceedings before public authorities, public disturbance…

„Women, peace and security“ a civil society organizations network  is supported by the OSCE Mission, while Mike Uyehara, Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia stated that in 2016  OSCE supported Serbian Government in creation of Action Plan until 2020 for implementation of the Resolution that envisages equal participation of women and their  full inclusion in peace and security policies.

Maja Bjeloš, researcher with the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, presented the Network “Women, peace and security in Serbia“, consisting of 22 organizations, academic community and individuals who are interested in the implementation of Resolution 1325.

„Network gathers around mutual vision of safe citizens living in secure and democratic society with high quality of life, based on principles of the rule of law, protection of human and minority rights, equal access to justice, zero tolerance for violence and discrimination“, said Bjeloš.

Representative of Public Policy Research Center Director spoke about taking away fire arms from those persons who perpetrated violence, while Milica Kostić, Director of law program in Humanitarian Law Center spoke about gender dimension of crime and sexual violence against women. Discussion was moderated by Zorana Antonijević from OSCE Mission in Serbia.