Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Janković participated in the Ministerial Conference on Demographic Resilience “Shaping the Europe’s Demographic Future, Paths Towards the Progress of Society in the World of Rapid Demographic Change” in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she presented examples of good practice in Serbia.

Serbia is the first country to produce a Special Report on Discrimination against Older Citizens with full awareness and readiness to focus on protecting the human rights of the elderly and be a leader in this field in the region, said Commissioner Janković, adding that Belgrade hosted a regional presentation of the UN Global Report on Discrimination Based on Age in September, from which the global call for action “Stop Discrimination” was sent from.

Brankica Janković mentioned the programs that are implemented throughout Serbia, within which elderly provide free training to young people in art and cultural creativity in cultural centers, while in volunteer centers senior citizens provide support to their fellow citizens in their daily functioning. As an example of connecting several generations in the application of scientific knowledge, she presented the relating of researchers of social conditions, where “veterans”, retirees who worked in the field of social protection, “seniors”, currently working and “juniors”, students, meet in a club symbolically called “Evergreen”. The use of old crafts with innovations has great potential, as does tourism in ethno households, where, in addition to a healthy environment, the old knowledge of our women from the village is nurtured, which requires great skill and patience. Each pattern on a blouse or glove has its own story and message, the commissioner concluded.

On the sidelines of the conference, Commissioner Brankica Janković met with Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Ivan Krastev, Minister of Labor and Social Policy of North Macedonia Jagoda Shahpaska and UN Under-Secretary-General Natalia Kanem.