MPs in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, members of the Women Parliamentary Network (WPN) which was founded at BFPE’s initiative in the February 2013, have taken part in a workshop dedicated to security sector reform hosted by the Assembly on 30 January 2014.
The workshop was opened by H.E. Ambassador of Canada to Serbia Mr. Roman Waschuk, representing the country that supported the event, and Ms. Sonja Licht, President of BFPE. Program Coordinator in the Fund, Marko Savkovic, delivered an introductory presentation to the subject matter of security sector reform in societies in transition. Right after Marko, BFPE guest, Emir Kalach from CEDEM (Podgorica/Montenegro), showed how this role may be exercised by any parliament in practice, through a case study of Assembly of Montenegro’s engagement in security sector oversight.
In the ensuing discussion, MPs agreed how one of the tasks for the new convocation of parliament is to have more of their women colleagues in the committees tasked with oversight, and discussed mechanisms at their disposal in regard to “ministries of force”, including their limitations.
Just to remind all actors responsible: at this very moment, in two of Parliament’s committees tasked with security sector oversight in Serbia, only one women MP is present.
