The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, congratulated the children in Serbia on World Children’s Day, emphasizing that regardless of the fact that a lot has been done to improve the position of children, the last two years have been extremely difficult for everyone, especially children. Wanting to draw public attention to society’s obligations towards children, as well as the current problems facing children, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality prepared a Special Report on Discrimination against Children, which will soon be presented in the National Assembly of Serbia.

“Most problems are faced by children with disabilities, the poor, or children who are in institutional accommodation and who face neglect, and often abuse, said Commissioner Janković. She also pointed out the noticeable peer violence, especially in the digital environment in which children spend the most time, often without adult supervision. We are witnesses that parents, who are in some cases single, divorced, ill, or with insufficient means of subsistence, are in a real race against time. Also, due to the pandemic, parents and children had to quickly adapt to the transition to “online” teaching, and many did not have enough knowledge or resources to help the youngest. All this represents new challenges for the entire society, and even more for the children, due to which both their physical and mental health are endangered”, the Commissioner emphasized.

The report presents numerous examples from the Commissioner’s practice, research, and data from other organizations, but also gives numerous recommendations for further improvement of the position of children. All this unequivocally points to the need for further, more intensive engagement of the society in terms of improving the position and protection of children, both at the national and local level, with mutual cooperation and partnership of competent bodies and organizations.