UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report Annex:
The findings of the Evaluation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the National Strategy for the Improvement of the Status of Women and Improving Gender Equality 2010-2015 indicate a degree of progress was achieved in the above areas, particularly regarding the improvement of the legal framework in the field of equal participation of women and men in the political life, anti-discrimination, labour and employment, as well as establishing institutional mechanisms for gender equality, improving gender-sensitive statistics and increased visibility of the issue of violence against women. The selected strategic areas and targeted interventions were confirmed to be relevant, but some areas need to be expanded or redefined.
In February 2016 the Government of RS adopted the National Gender Equality Strategy for 2016-2020 with an Action Plan 2016-2018. The Strategy contains three primary goals: 1) change of gender patterns and improvement of cultural gender equality; 2) increasing the equality of women and men by applying equal opportunity policies; and 3) systematic introduction of gender perspectives into the adoption, implementation and monitoring of public policy.
The first report on the implementation of the National Gender Equality Strategy and relevant Action Plan has been developed.
The Coordination Body for Gender Equality, within its regular activities, participates and supports projects, campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and overcoming gender stereotypes and prejudices in Serbia.
Key examples are: the campaign "16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence", the project "Women`s Empowerment" - support for the economic empowerment of women who have endured violence; participation in regional conferences on women entrepreneurship and support to the annual award of the "Success Flower for a Dragon Woman" organized by the Association of Businesswomen, etc.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development implemented the project "Prevention of Gender-based Violence" with the aim of sensitizing employees in educational institutions on gender-based violence, responding and empowering everyone to react in cases of gender-based violence (domestic and sexual violence) and discrimination.
The Ministry of Culture and Information supports the development of media content in order to protect and develop human rights and democracy. For projects that explicitly deal with gender equality, around RSD 2,000,000 are allocated annually, while more funds are allocated indirectly by supporting women authors and artists.
Through the IPA project Strengthening Media Freedom, the Report on the Status of Gender Equality and the Position of Women in the Media was prepared, which will be the starting document for the working group for the preparation of a future strategy for development of the public information system.
In November and December 2015, the Institute for the Study of Cultural Development conducted a survey Cultural habits, needs and attitudes of Serbian citizens on a national sample of 1,565 respondents. The results of the survey have shown that citizens' attitudes are mainly positively oriented towards gender equality. Citizens are most vulnerable to gender equality in the field of education and economics, and least trust in equality regarding political participation and decision-making.
The Provincial Secretariat for Social Policy, Demography and Gender Equality, through the publication "Women's Planner", annually promotes women in different areas.
The Republic of Serbia has a developed a legal framework that determines the principle of equal opportunities and availability of jobs for both sexes. When recruiting to state bodies of local self-government units and autonomous provinces, it is taken into account that the national composition, gender representation and the number of persons with disabilities reflect as far as possible the structure of the population, and equal opportunities for promotion and rewarding are envisaged.
The new legal solutions through the Law on Gender Equality provide for the introduction of quotas that will ensure the minimum 40 percent of women in management and supervisory bodies for education, science, culture, information and sports, as well as in international organizations.
Article 104, paragraph 1-2. of the Labour Law stipulates that an employee has the right to adequate salary which is determined in accordance with the law, the general act and the employment contract. Employees are guaranteed equal pay for the same work or the same values that they earn with the employer. Provisions of the Labour Law ensure that the employed woman and man are equally paid for equal work.
The Law on Civil Servants applicable to employees in state bodies, by Article 13 provides that every civil servant is entitled to salary, benefits and other remuneration under the law regulating salaries in state bodies, and Articles 10 and 11 of the same law provide an equal opportunity for promotion and rewarding.
The Law on employees in autonomous provinces and local self-government units, applicable in the bodies of autonomous provinces and local self-government units, under Article 27 stipulates that each employee is entitled to salary, benefits and other remuneration under the law governing salaries in the autonomous province and the local self-government unit and Article 20 of the same law stipulates that an employee has the right to advance in service by acquiring a higher job determined by this law and acquiring a higher pay band determined by the law regulating salaries for the employees in autonomous provinces and local self-government units.
Salaries of employees in the public sector are regulated by the Law on the Salary System for the Public Sector Employees, the Law on Salaries of Civil Servants and General Service Employees, the Law on Salaries in State Bodies and Public Services, which regulate salaries, benefits and other remuneration of public sector employees. A salary consists of the basic salary and increased salary and contains on a monthly basis tax and contributions paid from salaries. The basic salary is determined by multiplying the base for the calculation and payment of salaries, which is unique for all employees, with a coefficient, where these coefficients are determined in the same way for all employees in the public sector, regardless of their gender.
Activities aimed at implementing the recommendation are being continuously implemented.

National Report:
Para 101) The Coordination Body for Gender Equality, which is headed by a Deputy Prime Minister, since its establishment in 2014 has undertaken a number of activities with the aim of improving the status of women and gender equality.
Para 102) After 2016 parliamentary and local elections, a woman was appointed as the Speaker of the National Assembly, and 34.54% of MPs are women. The percentage is similar in every city and municipal assembly.
Para 103) After the presidential election of May 2017 changes occurred in the Government. For the first time, a woman was appointed Prime Minister of Serbia. Out of 21 ministers, four are women, one of them is a Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Coordination Body for Gender Equality. Five women are presidents of administrative districts, and 12 are mayors.
Para 104) There are more than 100 local bodies for gender equality.
Para 105) Regulations applied in local government bodies and the autonomous provincial government bodies enable equal access to jobs for both genders. The 2015 Law on the Budget System introduced a gender-sensitive budgeting and an obligation that all budget
beneficiaries must apply it by 2020 at the latest.
Para 106) Since February 2016, the Republic of Serbia has used the EU gender equality index in six fields: distribution of time, money, work, knowledge, power, health and in two subfields: violence against women and inter-sectoral differences. According to indicators, gender equality index for the Republic of Serbia is 40.60%.
Para 107) The Government has adopted a National Strategy for Gender Equality in February 201622 for the period 2016–2020 with the Action Plan for the period 2016–2018.
Para 108) The National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace and Security in the Republic of Serbia (2017–2020) – was adopted on May 19, 2017. The second National Action Plan includes a greater number of actors with the focus on the implementation of reforms at the local level.
Para 111) Of a total number of state employees, 62.4% are women, there are 53.23% of women in leadership positions, and 45% of state officials are women. …

UN Compilation:
Para 38) CESCR remained concerned about the high unemployment rate in Serbia, which disproportionately affected women, …
Para 39) [CESCR] was concerned about the low employment rate of women and the prevalence of gender discrimination in employment.
Para 59) The UN country team stated that deep-rooted stereotypes persisted in Serbia and that there was a recent trend of re-establishing traditional roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society, which undermined women’s social status, participation in public life and professional careers.
Para 60) The UN country team indicated that only 5 per cent of municipal presidents or mayors, and 29 per cent of the councillors in local assemblies, were women. CESCR was concerned about the underrepresentation of women in the national and local government bodies and public sector positions. The UN country team indicated that fewer women than men were employed (42 per cent as compared to 58 per cent).

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 60) JS4 indicated that there were municipalities which had not established equality mechanisms.

National Report Annex:
Article 104, paragraph 1-2. of the Labour Law stipulates that an employee has the right to adequate salary which is determined in accordance with the law, the general act and the employment contract. Employees are guaranteed equal pay for the same work or the same values that they earn with the employer. Provisions of the Labour Law ensure that the employed woman and man are equally paid for equal work.
The Law on Civil Servants applicable to employees in state bodies, by Article 13 provides that every civil servant is entitled to salary, benefits and other remuneration under the law regulating salaries in state bodies, and Articles 10 and 11 of the same law provide an equal opportunity for promotion and rewarding.
The Law on employees in autonomous provinces and local self-government units, applicable in the bodies of autonomous provinces and local self-government units, under Article 27 stipulates that each employee is entitled to salary, benefits and other remuneration under the law governing salaries in the autonomous province and the local self-government unit and Article 20 of the same law stipulates that an employee has the right to advance in service by acquiring a higher job determined by this law and acquiring a higher pay band determined by the law regulating salaries for the employees in autonomous provinces and local self-government units.
Salaries of employees in the public sector are regulated by the Law on the Salary System for the Public Sector Employees, the Law on Salaries of Civil Servants and General Service Employees, the Law on Salaries in State Bodies and Public Services, which regulate salaries, benefits and other remuneration of public sector employees. A salary consists of the basic salary and increased salary and contains on a monthly basis tax and contributions paid from salaries. The basic salary is determined by multiplying the base for the calculation and payment of salaries, which is unique for all employees, with a coefficient, where these coefficients are determined in the same way for all employees in the public sector, regardless of their gender.
Activities aimed at implementing the recommendation are being continuously implemented.

UN Compilation:
Para 38) CESCR remained concerned about the high unemployment rate in Serbia, which disproportionately affected women, …
Para 39) [CESCR] was concerned about the low employment rate of women and the prevalence of gender discrimination in employment.