Whole region, as well as Europe, is facing the fact that, in spite all efforts, women are essentially constrained to participate in decision making to the same extent as men, despite all efforts said Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic at the conference “For more women at decision making positions”, organized by Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence.

Referring to the study of Peterson Institute for International Economy, that analyzed more than 20,000 companies from all around globe, revealing that women are better in 13 of total 16 leadership skills, Commissioner stressed that it was still not enough to overcome resistance to greater number of women at the decision making positions, which is most visible at the local level.

Acknowledging that Serbia has done a lot, but there is still more to be done, Jankovic sees the solution in insisting on quotas, which proved to be good mechanism. Education is also very important, which means educated teaching staff, who will know how to adequately explain the importance of equality between women and men. Women’s solidarity, which should be above political loyalty, competition or obstacles, is also extremely important, said the Commissioner, stressing that the struggle for true gender equality implies that men should be involved.

In addition to the full commitment of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality for more intensive involvement of women in the field of politics at the local level, she assessed that greater participation of civil society organizations is also important. At the conference, opened by the chair of the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence Sonja Liht also spoke the Netherlands Ambassador Hendrik Gerrit Cornelis van den Dool, expert from Slovenia Sonja Lokar, as well as many guests from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia.