The position of people with disabilities in Serbia is complex and involves facing numerous challenges in all areas of life, from architectural and communication inaccessibility to insufficient support in the fields of education, social, and health care. These numerous obstacles limit the quality of life of people with disabilities, and more work needs to be done to remove them, emphasized the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, at the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in the National Assembly of Serbia, organized by the Parliamentary Group for the Improvement of the Position of Persons with Disabilities.

On that occasion, Janković also spoke about the Commissioner’s recommendations and initiatives, recalling the last recommendation addressed to all health centers in which the obligation to ensure the accessibility of facilities used by health centers and the services they provide was pointed out.

Janković pointed out that it is very important to create opportunities for economic empowerment and employment of people with disabilities. On this occasion, an educational meeting for employers on “How to achieve equality in the workplace” was held today as part of the training cycle organized by the Commissioner in cooperation with the German development cooperation GIZ. Representatives of 25 companies, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, and the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce attended.

Employers who participated in the workshop had the opportunity to understand their legal obligations and social responsibility better through the new edition of the Equality Code and the Instructions for Reasonable Adaptation of Workplaces and Jobs for Persons with Disabilities. By signing the Partnership for Equality, the companies committed themselves to contributing to building a more inclusive society by exchanging good practices with other network members.

The Commissioner said at the meeting that the business world and human rights are not separate but intertwined, building the foundations for a responsible and successful business that provides equal opportunities to everyone, including people with disabilities.