This article is an integral part of the Coalition prEUgovor report on progress of Serbia in Chapters 23 and 24 for the period from May 2015 to October 2015.
There has been no progress regarding protection of women from all forms of gender based violence. The negative trend of homicide against women in families and partnerships continues, and what is particularly alarming is the case of a murder on prison premises of a woman, who was visiting her ex-husband. Attacks on female defenders of human rights continue without adequate response from judicial authorities to the suspects. Nothing has been done about harmonizing domestic legislation with Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
After the Council of Europe Convention ratification (October 2013) and its entering into force in August 2014[1], and final recommendations of the United Nations Committee for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW)[2] dated July 2013, the state of Serbia did nothing to change positive legislation in accordance with the Convention and the final recommendations, neither has it appointed a Coordination Body to monitor the implementation of the Convention. The negative trend of homicide against women in families and partnerships continues (18 women have been murdered by their current or former partners or family members during the period from the 1st of January to the 1st of September 2014), and what is particularly alarming is the case of a murder on the premises of a prison in Niš of a woman who came to visit her ex-husband imprisoned there, in order to obtain permission to take their child abroad.
The attacks on Women in Black continue without adequate response from the judicial authorities to the suspects[3], and without the state’s commitment to change public awareness regarding the female defenders of human rights in Serbia. The Directorate for Gender Equality, the only executive body in charge of the issues of gender equality, has been abolished. After the new Government was formed, the new Government Council for Gender Equality was not appointed.
