The previous two pandemic years have moved the pendulum of gender equality backwards, but we must turn this trend into an opportunity for women, who must be involved in all decision-making. Women in Serbia have shown that they can equally take responsibility, have a seat at the table equally and participate equally in solving problems, said the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Janković, on the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day.

Women have not achieved full equality, and single mothers, poor women, rural women, women with disabilities, Roma women, the elderly women and women victims of domestic violence are in a significantly more difficult position, which is why we as an institution have been and will be committed to helping overcome their problems. One of the biggest challenges was breaking taboos on domestic and especially sexual violence, to which women’s public testimonies contributed significantly. Serbia was among the first eight countries to ratify the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women and it significantly improved its legal framework and protection system. However, it turned out that, as a society, we must work even more efficiently and that behind the call for victims to report violence, there must be a determined intention of the authorities to protect the victims, the Commissioner noted.

The greatest progress has been made in terms of women’s participation in political life. This was also shown by our analysis Gender Equality at the Local Level, which confirms that there has been a positive shift in the percentage of women at local decision-making positions. Positive developments are extremely important, because women should have a seat at the table when every important decision is made, Janković emphasized.

The position of women is also discussed at this year’s Kopaonik Business Forum, at the panel “Women in STEM Sciences”. What needs to change is more significant involvement of women scientists in decisions concerning the development of the entire society, and we must set that as an imperative, is the Commissioner’s message. She reminded that according to official data, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts has 100 regular members, 9 of whom are women, which is why SANU was recommended that, during the next elections, the Academy take measures to realize the principle of gender equality and make additional efforts to promote women’s scientific and artistic contribution, because the achievements of women in scientific and artistic creation of Serbia should be reflected in their membership.