Men and women do not have equal opportunities in the labor market in Serbia, said Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic at the panel “Discrimination against women in labor relations” within the 6th National Conference of the Women’s Parliamentary Network, held in the Serbian Parliament.

The Commissioner pointed out that women in Serbia are less likely to find employment, they often have lower salaries than men for doing the same work, and are more exposed to discrimination and layoffs. A significantly lower participation of women in the labor market results in the inability to achieve economic independence leading to social exclusion, says Jankovic. She said that the regulations in Serbia envisaged the same legal status for men and women, but it is not fully implemented, as the practice of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality reveals. Discrimination based on gender is one of the most frequently reported forms of discrimination, usually in the field of employment. Therefore, according to the Commissioner, it is necessary to work on the improvement of the legal framework, to ensure work and parenting balance, to provide adequate support services, to encourage women entrepreneurship, to encourage measures to increase employment, but also to initiate wide-scale motivation campaigns for employers to ensure equal rights for women and men during employment.

Other speakers at the 6th National Conference held under the slogan “Women build the future” were also Parliament President Maja Gojkovic, OSCE Head of Mission Andrea Oricio, Deputy Permanent Representative of the UNDP Stelina Nedera, as well as MPs, distinguished professors and other prominent women.