The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic and the Director of the UNICEF Office in Serbia, Judita Reichenberg talked about the initiative to form a new working body at the National Assembly with the goal of achieving systematic work on the implementation and protection of children’s rights and improving the position of children in Serbia. The initiative resulted from the Memorandum of Understanding signed in November of last year by the National Assembly and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Concerning this, the National Assembly Speaker proposed the formation of a working group tasked with drafting a proposal for the creation of an Assembly Committee in charge of all issues relating to children’s rights protection. It was proposed that, in addition to the National Assembly Speaker, the members of the working group include the National Assembly Deputy Speakers and the Chairmen of the Assembly Committees on Poverty Reduction and Labour, Ex-Servicemen’s and Social Issues.

Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic also proposed that the National Assembly launch an Open Door Day for children and young people, enabling them to directly voice proposals, initiatives and problems they face in everyday life, so that the National Assembly could involve itself more directly into their solution.

UNICEF supports opening dialogue with children and young people on a local level, particularly in municipalities that already have such action plans.