OSCE Mission calls for greater efforts to promote gender equality in Serbia

BELGRADE, 21 April 2005 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, today called for Serbia's institutions to make greater efforts to address the problem of gender discrimination.

Speaking at a meeting of municipal officials at the OSCE Mission's headquarters in Belgrade, he said that gender equality was an issue the OSCE took very seriously.

"We are a community of values and to us gender equality is very important," said Ambassador Masari. "Discrimination against women contributes to an overall discriminatory social climate and causes other discrimination, such as against minorities, to flourish."

In order to help combat discrimination against women, the OSCE Mission has assisted in the creation of municipal gender focal points in more than 30 municipalities across Serbia, designed to promote equal opportunity for women.

Ambassador Massari urged the Government to strengthen institutional protection for women as they bear the brunt of the socio-economic reforms in Serbia and urged the Serbian Parliament to adopt without delay a law on gender equality and implement a recently adopted law on families.

He said that the OSCE Mission was ready to assist Serbia and Montenegro in its fight against gender discrimination and to help it fulfil its international obligations to protect women against all forms of discrimination.