Countering gender-based violence is a goal of the Republic of Serbia’s gender equality policy, with domestic violence prohibited by several laws. Despite evident progress, achieving freedom from violence remains a challenge for women and girls in Serbia, additionally burdened by circumstances related to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Women can experience violence regardless of their class, ethnicity, education, profession or age, but not all are ready to report it. For women from vulnerable groups, such as women with disabilities, women from the Roma community and women living in rural areas, barriers faced every day make it harder to report violence and seek help. Effective protection of women from violence is further hindered by unevenly distributed protection services and institutional response of varying quality across the country. Harmful practices affecting children, especially girls, such as child marriage, as well as gender stereotypes leading to tolerance of violence in partner relationships, still present challenges in ending violence against women and girls. 

Project is implemented jointly by UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women and UNFPA.

Project Goal

To enable women and girls, especially those from vulnerable groups, to live lives free from violence, be encouraged to report violence and ensure that they receive timely and effective institutional protection.

Project Focus

Empowering survivors and ensuring they have long-term support:

• Providing easily accessible information on how to report violence and seek protection from competent institutions, as well as support from specialized civil society organizations. 
• Expanding support services and enabling continuous learning for professionals in competent institutions so that they are able to ensure long-term safety of all survivors.

Ending harmful practices affecting children, especially girls:

• Working towards improved legislation that prevents child marriage.
• Promoting non-violent parenting methods.

Changing perceptions and dominant gender stereotypes to build a society where gender-based violence is not tolerated:

• Supporting governmental bodies and institutions in ensuring that legislation addressing gender-based violence is applied evenly in the country. 
• Raising awareness about unacceptability of violence through engaging youth, especially young women, to advocate for greater gender equality and no tolerance for violence in their local community, improving media reporting and working with men to prevent violent behaviour.

To learn more about the project, click here.