On the occasion of 8 March, International Women's Day, the Protector of Citizens, Mr. Zoran Pašalić, highlights that many women and girls in Serbia today face inequality, gender-based violence and problems in exercising economic and social rights. Gender stereotypes and prejudices are still present, and discrimination against women is visible at every step. Vulgar insults hurled at women, particularly ones with a successful public life job, are not condemned by a society strongly enough or sanctioned by state authorities.
The disadvantaged status of women in the labor market, underrepresentation, particularly those from vulnerable groups, at the decision-making posts in Local Self-Government Units, coupled with dysfunctional gender equality mechanisms within the local self-government prove that women do not exercise their rights completely. Furthermore, Mr. Zoran Pašalić calls attention to the fact that the comprehensive Law on Gender Equality has not been adopted, and we are also faced with situations where the authorities partially act upon the Recommendations of the Protector of Citizens in the field of gender equality.
Regarding gender equality, in 2019, the Protector of Citizens most often received complaints in the field of exercising the right to salary compensation during leave, pregnancy leave, maternity leave and child care, the rights of pregnant women and mothers, as well as domestic and intimate partner violence.
Mr. Zoran Pašalić said that when the number of women murdered in domestic partner violence was added up to these data (more than 320 women in one decade), we would get a gloomy image of a woman who was yet to struggle for a dignified position in society.