The implementation of the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 in Serbia must be improved

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It is necessary to change the discourse on what Resolution 1325 means for the male and female citizens and how they can contribute to its implementation, it was said at the conference “Independent monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the NAP on UNSCR 1325 – Women, Peace and Security in Serbia”, which was held on 10th October in the Small hall of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.

During the conference it was pointed out that it is necessary to improve the transparency of the implementation of the NAP, and also to improve relations between the state and civil society actors. BCSP findings on the results of NAP implementation were presented at the conference. BCSP Director Sonja Stojanovic Gajic said that the NAP should address the specific everyday problems of citizens.

“The document does not need to be discussed only in terms of institutions and on the basis of indicators, but now that we're halfway of NAP implementation, we should take the opportunity to learn a lesson, make revisions and realize what needs to be fixed,” said Sonja Stojanovic Gajic.

She added that Serbia was second in the region, after the BiH, to adopte a NAP on UNSCR 1325, and that so far Macedonia also did that. She said that only Serbia in its plan has focused on security sector, while in Bosnia and Macedonia the issue of women's participation is formulated as wider participation in decision-making on security, foreign policy and peace.

Representative of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in Serbia Asja Varbanova said that since the adoption of Resolution 1325 in October 2000th only 39 UN members, or less than one-third, has adopted national action plans for implementation of the Resolution. She said that the implementation of the objectives of the Resolution must be strengthened.

Coordinator of the Women's Parliamentary Network, which brings together MPs of different political parties in the Serbian Parliament, Biljana Hasanović Korac said that the goals of Women's Parliamentary Network match with the objectives of Resolution 1325 and the National Action Plan, including the participation of women in all spheres of social life, especially in decision making processes and peace negotiations. She also added that one of the main goals of the network is to protect women from all forms of violence and discrimination.

Achievements and challenges in the implementation of the NAP on UNSCR 1325 in Serbia{image2}

The representative of the Women in Black Gordana Subotic thinks that the two and a half years since the implementation of the NAP there is no progress in achieving the objectives of Resolution 1325 in Serbia. According to her eventual achievements remain within the security sector, and citizens do not notice the effects in terms of increased participation and representation of women in decision-making and problem-solving levels and needs of women refugees in Serbia.

“According to our indicators, there was no achievements. Seems that the NAP was adopted due to joining the EU and advertising at international conferences, and not to resolve substantial problems”, said Gordana Subotic.

As a future priority BCSP researcher Maja Bjelos expressed the need for the implementation of the NAP to be deprived of depending on political developments that slow down the process and undermine its continuity. She also thinks that the implementation does not need to be “extra work of individuals, but an integral job of everyone”. She also suggested that we should shift the focus of the implementation from the national to the local level, to include other government bodies, other representatives of civil society organizations and make the whole process sufficiently inclusive and open.

“On the recommendation of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality it was introduced gender-sensitive language in the security services and abolished or reduced admission quotas for women in the Criminal Police and Military academy. Now it looks like that are small steps but these small steps will lead to bigger changes”, said Maja Bjeloš.{split}{image3}

Head of the Commission for monitoring NAP and member of Parliament Zlata Djeric as a major problem in the implementation of the NAP 1325 indicated slowness of institutions. She pointed out that the Commission for monitoring NAP is a new body which asked for the report from all bodies and mechanisms for implementation of the NAP.

“As a country we have done a lot on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) 1325, but we should not be satisfied and we need to go further”, said Zlata Djeric.

She also said that the Women's Parliamentary Network has sent a proposal to change the Law on the Government that would provide that at least 30 percent of women could be part of the government. She said that the proposal was signed by all MPs who wanted that regardless of their parliamentary groups.

Commissioner for Protection of Equality Nevena Petrušić spoke about the Law on Gender Equality.

“There is an initiative for changing the law on gender equality, and now it's up to us to construct positive measures”, she said but also pointed out that the laws do not cause problems in practice, but the problems are poor management and awareness.

About the implementation of the NAP 1325 in Serbia discussed a number of representatives of the security sector, parliament and civil society organizations. Experiences and suggestions for further improvement of the NAP implamentation with participants shared Jovanka Saranovic, director of the Strategic Research institute and Adviser for Gender Equality of Minister of Defense, and also representatives of the Provincial Assembly, the OSCE, the Office of Gender Equality and different organizations from the local level.

The authors of the best media coverage of women in security sector in Serbia were honored with awards

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During the conference it was organized an award ceremony for the authors of the best media coverage on the topic of “The position and role of women in the security sector in Serbia”, the contest which was organized by Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) and UNWOMEN. RTS journalist Biljana Jovicic won the first prize. Slobodan Malesev from Radio Active and Ivana Konstantinovic from B92 shared the second place, while the third prize went to Biljana Kuzmanovic from regional TV Lav.

Awards to the winners of the competition were presented by jury member and member of Parliament Marija Obradovic, who pointed out that this is just the beginning, symbolism and appeal to the media to start thinking about the subject.

“It's important that the media help and change public awareness of whether the woman have place and how many place there is for the women in the security sector”, said Marija Obradovic.