The Commissioner Brankica Jankovic and all of the employees from the institution signed the Inciative to make 18th of May a Day of remembrance for all the women murdered during domestic violence in Serbia. This institution became the first to support the activity of the CSOs Autonomous Women’s Center and Network of Women against violence.
Mrs. Jankovic stated that murdered women are not numbers and statistics but our friends, sisters, mothers and colleagues and that is only one among other reasons for establishing this day of remembrance. According to her statement, the protection of women from domestic violence is necessary but prevention is also as important.
“We insisted and pointed out, even when isolated cases of violence occurred that it is one of the biggest issues and that it needs to be a priority for addressing”, said The Commissioner after the signing of the petition.
The Commissioner stated that new measures of The Government are good and that they should introduce a more efficient mechanism for protection of women against violence. She also drew the attention to the importance of determining individual responsibility because the situation will change only when it is clear whose omission led to these acts and who is responsible.
“The system needs to respond adequately to the needs of victims of domestic violence and also the mechanisms for protection need to be more efficient and timely. It is imposible to prevent every murder and nobody is that unrealistic but the state and society mustn’t allow murders to happen because of the omissions within the system”, stressed Mrs. Jankovic.
The Coordinator of the Network of Women against violence Alekandra Nestorov expressed her ratitude to The Commissioner and he employees on provided support and explained why 18th of May was chosen for the remembrance day.
“Why 18th of May – that was the last day within the 72 hour timeframe, or three days if you will, when seven women were murdered. They were murdered by their partners and family members…One woman a week is being killed in Serbia, but here we had he situation that one woman was killed every ten hours”, specified Ms. Nestorov.
