OSCE Mission organizes visit of Roma women activists to Serbian Parliament
(OSCE/Milan Obradovic)National Assembly Speaker Predrag Markovic talks with Roma women activists as part of a year-long OSCE project that aims to introduce them to state institutions and help them raise their needs with policy-makers, Belgrade, 11 September 2006. (OSCE/Milan Obradovic) Photo details
BELGRADE, 11 September 2006 - Thirty five Roma women activists visited the National Assembly today, as part of a project organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia.
The Mission's year-long project, "Empowerment of Roma Women for Decision-Making", aims to introduce Roma women to different state institutions and help them bring their problems and needs to the attention of policy-makers.
"Roma women as a group can contribute to Serbian society," said Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, Head of the OSCE Mission. "This visit highlights the need for diverse voices to be heard in Serbian institutions, and I am grateful to Parliament Speaker Predag Markovic for receiving them."
The Roma group also met representatives of parliamentary committees on labour and social politics, poverty reduction, education, interethnic relations, gender equality, health, and justice.
In preparation for the visit, the Roma women were briefed by prominent academic and non-governmental experts on the work of the Assembly, government bodies, courts, municipal and other local bodies, on the division of power concept, and the role of NGOs.
Assistance to Roma is a priority area for the OSCE Mission in line with its mandate and the Decade of Roma Inclusion, an initiative of nine Central and South-East European countries to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of the Roma minority across the region.
The Mission's year-long project, "Empowerment of Roma Women for Decision-Making", aims to introduce Roma women to different state institutions and help them bring their problems and needs to the attention of policy-makers.
"Roma women as a group can contribute to Serbian society," said Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, Head of the OSCE Mission. "This visit highlights the need for diverse voices to be heard in Serbian institutions, and I am grateful to Parliament Speaker Predag Markovic for receiving them."
The Roma group also met representatives of parliamentary committees on labour and social politics, poverty reduction, education, interethnic relations, gender equality, health, and justice.
In preparation for the visit, the Roma women were briefed by prominent academic and non-governmental experts on the work of the Assembly, government bodies, courts, municipal and other local bodies, on the division of power concept, and the role of NGOs.
Assistance to Roma is a priority area for the OSCE Mission in line with its mandate and the Decade of Roma Inclusion, an initiative of nine Central and South-East European countries to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of the Roma minority across the region.