On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, Brankica Janković, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, extended her congratulations to all citizens of Serbia, stressing that seven decades following the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, violations of enshrined rights still persist and that their purpose which is to protect the dignity, freedom and equality of each and every person, woman, man and child is often disregarded.

„This does not mean much if individuals and entire social groups are marginalized, belittled or are denied those rights in real life situations. We must not settle for discrimination or violence against anyone, be the discriminator an individual, an institution, a company or a state administration authority, nor are such practices justifiable by any means,“ underlined Commissioner Janković.

Commissioner Janković went on to mark the International Human Rights Day by paying a visit to an informal Roma settlement located in Čukarica municipality in Belgrade and together with Bibija, Women’s Roma Center, talked to residents about problems they most frequently encounter and ways to tackle them. „In a situation when basic life commodities are lacking and fundamental needs are hard to meet, conventions and declarations alone do little to help,“ stressed the Commissioner underscoring the fact that human rights need to be observed and promoted every single day and not only on the 10th December.

In addition to a more efficient and intensive response by competent authorities, every individual can play a role towards this end, as this is the only path to pursue if we wish to further build a society of justice, humanity, equality and tolerance in which every person is committed to the protection and respect of their own rights and those of others, said the Commissioner.