Why is the Law on Gender Equality important to us?

In recent months, the Law on Gender Equality has been under attack, being misinterpreted and calls are made for its “repeal.” We, activists for equality, women’s and human rights, assert that this law is important to us, concerns all citizens of Serbia, and we will vigorously defend it, just as we fought for its adoption. The Law on Gender Equality states that we are all equal. It is not unconstitutional, as wrongly claimed, but is precisely in line with the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on any personal characteristic, guarantees equality between women and men, and prescribes the obligation of the state to develop policies of equal opportunities to achieve real, substantive equality. Substantive equality means not only having equal rights but also responsibilities and equal opportunities to enjoy rights in education, social and health care, in the labor market, and in all other areas, to be equally represented and participate in decision-making on issues that concern us all, as well as to have equal benefits from the results of work.

This law states that it is prohibited to harass, humiliate, threaten, coerce, sexually blackmail or harass us, to commit violence against us, or to treat us unfairly because of pregnancy, parenthood, adoption. It states that the state is obliged to provide protection from violence regardless of where it occurs. This law is not “violence against the family,” but a guarantee that state authorities will react to domestic violence when it occurs.

This law states that job opportunities are equally accessible to us, that we must be equally paid for work of equal value, that we can progress equally in our careers, that women cannot be fired from their jobs because they are pregnant or have young children. It also states that unpaid domestic work, which almost all women do daily in terms of childcare, family care, housework, as well as unpaid work by men, will be valued. It also states that women who are not employed but perform unpaid household chores will have the right to health insurance. This law does not “destroy family values” but ensures a balance between family and professional life, and also contributes to the improvement of family relationships based on equality, respect, and solidarity.

This law states that women have the right to be addressed in the female gender, to be what they are, doctors, engineers, professors, ministers, just as much as hairdressers, cleaners, cooks, and educators. This law confirms that women and men are equal and equally valuable. Because we want to live in a society where women and men, girls and boys have equal opportunities and conditions to live, work, develop, and progress, because we know that such a society is a precondition for economic development and a better life, we are ready to vigorously defend the Law on Gender Equality and demand its consistent implementation.

1. FemPlatz
2. Women’s Research Center Niš
3. Women’s Support Center
4. Association Krokodil
5. Network SOS Vojvodina
6. Yucom – Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights
7. Atina
8. Okular
9. Belgrade Center for Human Rights
10. Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities Serbia
11. Laris
12. Women’s Forum Prijepolje
13. SeConS
14. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society
15. Creatively Affirmative Organization Parnas
16. Association for Nature and Society “Multivox”
17. Center for Democracy Foundation
18. SOS for Women and Children Victims of Violence Vlasotince
19. Roma Center for Women and Children Daje
20. Civic Initiatives
21. Irida
22. Center for Dignified Work
23. From the Circle Vojvodina
24. Women’s Center Užice
25. SOS Vranje
26. Friendship Strength Amity
27. From the Circle Kragujevac
28. International Aid Network – IAN
29. Youth Initiative for Human Rights
30. ROZA – Association for Women’s Labor Rights
31. Let’s Save the Village Proboj
32. Impulse Tutin
33. B92 Fund
34. Partners Serbia
35. Counseling Center against Family Violence
36. Phenomena
37. Trace Foundation
38. Political Platform Solidarity
39. Initiative for the Rights of Persons with Mental Disabilities MDRI Serbia
40. Center for Prevention and Combat of Violence
41. Užice Center for Child Rights
42. Women’s Studies and Research, Subotica
43. Autonomous Women’s Center
44. Rebelling Readers
45. Gender Research Laboratory at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
46. Center for Modern Skills
47. Academy of Women’s Leadership
48. Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
49. Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
50. Women’s Association of the Kolubara District – ŽUKO
51. Women’s Space
52. A 11 – Initiative for Economic and Social Rights
53. Catalyst Balkans
54. Autonomous Women’s Front ZLF
55. Green Left Front
56. Synchro Hub
57. Association of Women Peščanik
58. Friends of Children Serbia
59. Alliance of Feminist Organizations (Re)connection
60. LINK Community Development Center
61. Committee for Human Rights Niš
62. Women’s Studies and Research Novi Sad

Individuals:

1. Marjana Stevanović
2. Mileva Malešić
3. Ana Isaković
4. Prof. Dr. Marija Babović
5. Hristina Cvetinčanin Knežević
6. Radmila Grujaničić
7. Olivera Ilkić
8. Prof. Dr. Jelena Simić
9. Prof. Dr. Marijana Pajvančić
10. Prof. Dr. Gordana Lalić Krstin,
11. Sofija Mandić
12. Prof. Dr. Smiljana Milinkov,
13. Prof. Dr. Dragica Vujadinović
14. Sanja Nikolin
15. Dr. Ana Pajvančić Cizelj
16. Prof. Dr. Katarina Lončarević
17. Prof. Dr. Ivana Spasić,
18. Prof. Dr. Svetlana Tomić
19. Dr. Adriana Zaharijević
20. Dr. Biljana Đorđević
21. Danica Todorov
22. Prof. Dr. Dubravka Đurić

This post is also available in SRP.