Deputy Ombudsman for Gender Equality and Rights of the Child Gordana Stevanovic said that in 2013 the Ombudsman had received 376 complaints of children’s rights endangerment, while 94 different encroachments on said rights had been ascertained. To eliminate these faults the Ombudsman sent 62 recommendations all of which were accepted, while 59 were executed, said Gordana Stevanovic.

The Deputy Ombudsman said that the adoption of relevant legislation by the National Assembly had enabled significant progress as regards improving the rights of the child in the past year, particularly children’s health care and protection of new mothers. However, Gordana Stevanovic stressed that the rights of children with developmental difficulties, disabilities and severe illnesses, as well as children whose condition calls for constant parental care, children living and working on the street and children victims of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse lack suitable protection.

Gordana Stevanovic also drew attention to the fact that the Ombudsman’s recommendations as regards water, air and soil quality control in the mining community of Zajaca have not been executed.

The Deputy Ombudsman also briefed the Committee members on the situation as regards inclusive education and informed them about the activities that need to be undertaken regarding the so-called “missing babies” case. She also stressed the need to educate parents about the detrimental effect of corporal punishment.

The Committee members had questions about the problems of extending services to special needs children at the local level, lagging maternity pay and the need to introduce sexual education into the curriculum.

The Chairperson of the Committee of the Rights of the Child Maja Gojkovic drew attention to the abuse of children by the media, especially celebrity children and appealed to all relevant social actors for a concerted action to protect children from this type of abuse.

Following the debate, the Committee adopted a Conclusion Proposal on the reviewed Ombudsman’s 2013 Annual Report, in the part relating to children’s rights, and sent it to the National Assembly.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Maja Gojkovic.