The rights of every child must be protected at every opportunity, always and without exception, because it is the task of the wider community, but also of every individual in society, to ensure a healthy and safe future for children, without discrimination, said Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, on the occasion of the World Children’s Day.
For example, failure to provide an adequate service of a personal companion or pedagogical assistant, which is the responsibility of local self-governments, threatens one of the child’s basic rights, the right to education. Although the inclusive education system has been improved, the desired state is not on an adequate level in local self-governments, which are obliged to provide this service to every child who needs additional support. The support of a personal companion is not a service that a child can wait for, because failures in providing it can make it difficult for children with disabilities and developmental disabilities to progress in education and independence. That is why, as an institution, we initiated a strategic lawsuit, said Janković.
The Commissioner emphasized that one of the problems that children face is discrimination due to their health conditions. Considering the guaranteed right to health care, as well as the right to education of all children without discrimination, at the beginning of this year, we sent an initiative to the Ministry of Health, supported by the Ministry of Education, to establish procedures in preschool institutions, as well as in primary and secondary educational institutions, on dealing with children and students with diabetes and other non-communicable chronic diseases, as well as rare diseases, with the aim of support, good control of the disease and prevention of its complications. Introducing these procedures would improve their position and protect them from stigmatization and discrimination, the Commissioner reminded.
A significant number of children face poverty and discrimination due to their financial situation, especially children belonging to the Roma national minority, towards whom there is often a great social distance. One of the growing problems is peer violence, which is why it is necessary to pay more attention to prevention and not just to react to violence when it already happens. We must not forget that adults are responsible for children’s behavior, who we must hear and understand, especially as they face numerous challenges today.
Bearing in mind the various problems in realizing the right to equality and protection against discrimination that children face, the Commissioner prepared a Special Report on Discrimination Against children and presented it to the members of the National Assembly at the end of 2021.
