Thursday, 23 April 2009

National Assembly Children’s Rights Working Group Holds Seminar on Condition of Children and Children’s Rights in Serbia

On 23 April, the Children’s Rights Working Group of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia held a seminar with the topic “UN Committee Conclusions and Recommendations to the Government of the Republic of Serbia – conditions in the legislation and on executive government level”.



On 23 April, the Children’s Rights Working Group of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia held a seminar with the topic “UN Committee Conclusions and Recommendations to the Government of the Republic of Serbia – conditions in the legislation and on executive government level”.

The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and Chairperson of the Children’s Rights Working Group, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic gave the opening address at the seminar. Deputy Snezana Stojanovic-Plavsic, Poverty Reduction Committee Chairperson and Working Group Coordinator, was the seminar moderator, while Judita Rajhenberg, UNICEF Director for Serbia, Lucy Smith, UN Children’s Rights Committee member in the period 2003-2009, Doc. Dr Nevena Vuckovic-Sahovic, UN Children’s Rights Committee member in the period 2003-2009, Ljiljana Lucic, State Secretary for social policy at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and Children’s Rights Council Vice-President and Tamara Luksic-Orlandic, Deputy Ombudsperson for Children’s Rights also took part in the seminar.

Within the working groups the deputies discussed the conclusions and recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding the legislative aspect, the Working Group and the National Assembly’s duties and capacity to contribute to their implementation, as well recommendations concerning the Poverty Reduction Strategy in the light of the financial crisis.

The Working Group adopted the following conclusions aimed at strengthening the body’s role and a more complete protection of children’s rights in Serbia.

1. It is necessary to fully implement the 2009 Working Plan;

2. It is necessary to enable the expansion of the Working Group to include other deputies interested in working on children’s rights;

3. To request that the competent ministries enable the inclusion of the Children’s Rights Working Group members in the drafting process of bills dealing with children;

4. To request that the competent ministries include the public in all the phases of bill drafting so as to ensure that relevant factors, primarily experts and civil society, can consider the legislature, analyse the proposed text of the bill, offer comments and suggestions;

5. To ensure that the deputies, primarily Children’s Rights Working Group members, are well prepared before the bills are subjected to Assembly procedure, which includes UNICEF expert assistance in the analysis of the bills;

6. That the Working Group submit a request to the Government for a report on the implementation of policies and strategies concerning children’s rights, as well as the results and effects of their implementation and the implementation of the laws;

7. To establish a close cooperation between the Assembly Children’s Rights Working Group and the Children’s Rights Council of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Discuss the possibility or representatives attending the meetings;

8. That the Working Group members be included in the revision of the National Plan of Action for Children and drafting of the Social Inclusion Memorandum;

9. To organize a public hearing at the National Assembly where the revised National Plan of Action for Children and Social Inclusion Memorandum will be presented so that the two documents be harmonised and made complementary;

10. In case of financial instability, the Working Group should establish cooperation with the Social-Economic Council and aid the inclusion of representatives of the Children’s Rights Council of the Government of the Republic of Serbia into its work;

11. To request that the Social Housing Law be urgently forwarded into Assembly procedure and that the Working Group members lobby for its urgent adopting at a National Assembly sitting.

12. That the Working Group forward a memo to the Government of the Republic of Serbia and all the ministries stating that it is necessary to take into account the effects the proposed economic measures might have on children in Serbia, so that children already living in poverty not be additionally burdened by these measures. The memo is to be prepared by the Children’s Rights Working Group Chairperson and signed by all the Working Group members (Chairperson, Deputy Chairpersons and all individual members).

The seminar was held at “Zira” Hotel, Belgrade.



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friday, 29 march
  • 9.00 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Speaker’s Cabinet)

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