The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Jankovic and the Red Cross of Serbia, conducted training of interviewers from the organizations of the Red Cross in Serbia, at the beginning of the work on research on the position of elderly citizens in the cities. This research will be conducted by the end of the year and will provide a comprehensive picture of the situation of the elderly, resulting afterwards in giving recommendations to the authorities in charge of improving their position.

“Typical cases of discrimination indicate that the age increases the risk of discrimination, especially on grounds of sex and disability, and it is our obligation, in addition to protecting our elderly citizens, to ensure full respect for the right to equality as a basic human right, with the aim of improving the lives older ones. It is very important to work on policy making that will respect the contribution of the elderly, prevent their marginalization, and enable their inclusion in all aspects of social life, “said Commissioner Jankovic.

The research is carried out in the framework of long-standing cooperation between the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Red Cross of Serbia. It is planned, in addition to the survey, to organize focus groups that will obtain significant information, through interviews with the elderly, about their everyday problems, but also provide them with information on the ways in which they can contact and demand protection from discrimination. That will create opportunity for older people to directly participate in creating of recommendations for improvement of their position.