At the sitting held on 20 July, the Gender Equality Committee considered the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance, in principle.

Elaborating the Bill, Assistant Minister of Labour and Social Policy Zoran Milosevic stated that the amendments aim to continue the reform of the pension and disability insurance commenced in 2002, and ensure its long-term and stable financing.

He said that these amendments propose an increase in the age requirement dictating pension eligibility, as well as that dictating the right to a family pension, and that they should come into force gradually by 2022. The innovations also include a new manner of aligning pensions so as to introduce better control and establish a joint fund for civil and military beneficiaries.

In the discussion, the proposed amendments to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance were deemed to mostly affect women by increasing their pension requirements. Even though the proposed increase in age and years-of-service requirements for women is gradual, the Committee members said that women are already in a more difficult position than men in Serbia and that these amendments, in view of the economic crisis and high unemployment rate, have a direct adverse effect on them.

The Committee members considered the petition made by a single mother from Belgrade, who had lost her job, and suggested that she initiate a labour dispute against the company she had worked for or address the city’s Ombudsman. In addition, the Committee members were briefed on the initiative of the Cetinje Parliamentary Forum to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325 this year.

The sitting was chaired by Dr Gordana Paunovic-Milosavljevic, Committee Chairperson.