Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic sent an Initiative for determining names and marking streets, squares and buildings in Belgrade to the Belgrade City Assembly, suggesting that more streets should be named by outstanding women from our society.
Equality of women and men is one of the fundamental human rights and basic values of every democratic society, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. Commissioner for Protection of Equality has conducted analysis in order to determine frequency of naming streets by women. It was determined that only 4.48% of all streets are named by women, while 50.19% of streets are named by men.
Having in mind the role and significance that women had for the progress of our society, the visibility which they will gain by naming more streets by women will enable us to value their contribution and to honor all those women who left mark and heritage for future generations through their work in various areas of life. Initiative suggested only some of these women, such are Danica Tomic, the first pilot in Serbia, Marija Milutinovic, first woman lawyer who represented only the poor, Draginja Gavrilovic, first novel writer in our literature, Jelka Bojic Makavejev, first woman in the Kingdom of Serbia who graduated at the Veterinary Faculty and who put great effort to produce many serums and vaccines, famous journalist and writer Milica Jankovljevic, known as Mir-Jam, Kosara Cvetkovic, one of the first woman translator and photographer, etc.
Accepting of this Initiative would make City of Belgrade a good practice example in the implementation of gender perspective in all areas of social life. In the same time, the heritage, creations and overall contribution of many outstanding women from our country would be affirmed, Commissioner concluded.