On the occasion 1 June, International Children’s Day, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic congratulated the children for their day and reminded them that they are not only adornments, but the greatest potential that a society has. By our attitudes towards them we show an attitude towards our future.

However, many children are facing poverty, various forms of violence, as well as discrimination and exclusion, which primarily relates to children with disabilities, children with poorer status and children of migrants. Accordingly, policies in the field of social and family law protection should be specifically targeted to reduce poverty, provide the necessary support and assistance to the family, which implies the establishment and development of existing support services for children and the family.

“Every child has the right to have an equal chance to show what it knows and can do, what it thinks and feels, what it is striving for, what hurts it and how it wants to change the world, regardless of its family, material and other circumstances that could not have influenced. Discrimination of children on the grounds of their property status will be in the focus of Commissioner for the Protection of Equality in the forthcoming period. So far, we have reacted in some cases when children have even experienced violence because of their poverty. Unfortunately, in the last days and weeks we are witnessing events in which children were victims and witnesses of traumatic events, which is why it is necessary for all institutions in the country to make additional efforts in order to enable the young people to grow up in better family conditions, local community and society,” said Brankica Jankovic, and appealed to the media to preserve the dignity and right to privacy of the child when reporting on crimes with children involved.

Preventing violence against children and discrimination, ensuring equal conditions for life, health care, accessible quality education, additional support, playing and socializing, are the responsibility of society as a whole, concludes the Commissioner.