At the sitting held on 26 October, the Gender Equality Committee adopted the conclusions on the position of women in rural areas, the topic discussed at the Committee sitting in Zitiste on 22 September.

According to the conclusions, the Committee urges the establishment of better cooperation on all levels of government and engagement of all competent factors on the improvement of the economic position of women in rural areas, as well as keeping them better informed. In addition, the Committee urges the amending of legal regulations so as to enable women in rural areas to exercise certain labour rights on grounds of their work in rural households, inter alia, the right to pregnancy and maternity allowance, as well as pension and disability insurance rights on various grounds.

The Committee considered the Proposal of the Decision Granting Consent to the Rulebook on Internal Organisation and Job Systematisation at the Support Service of the Equality Commissioner and Proposal of the Decision Granting Consent to the Decision on the Establishment and Work of the Support Service of the Equality Commissioner, submitted by the Justice and Administration Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.

Elaborating the Decision Proposals, the Equality Commissioner Nevena Petrusic stressed that their adoption will enable the operation of this independent state institution. Since the establishment in May, the Equality Commissioner, she said, has received 98 complaints of gender equality violation, primarily from the sphere of labour and employment.

As proposed, the institution will comprise three sectors: to act on complaints in discrimination cases, improve equality protection and general affairs, said Nevena Petrusic.

The Committee unanimously endorsed the Decision Proposals.

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