OSCE Mission to Serbia encourages minority women to participate in the National Minority Councils elections

"It takes up a lot of extra effort to persuade men that women can also participate in the public and political life of the community," says Sofija Vasiljkovic, Deputy Head of the current Roma National Minority Council, about the prospects of women's participation in the elections of Serbia's National Minority Councils.

Vasiljkovic was one of a dozen women activists from the Roma community who took part in a public discussion organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia in February about the role of women, as voters and as candidates, in the upcoming election of the Roma National Minority Council. This event is one of many country-wide activities organized by the Mission to mobilize minority women and ensure their greater participation in the National Minority Councils elections on 6 June 2010.

The importance of National Minority Councils

"The National Minority Councils, the so-called minority self-governments, will be able to independently decide on issues regarding the use of minority language, education, culture and public information of a national minority," says Elvira Kovacs, President of the Women's Forum of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians.

Since 2002, when 15 minority communities in Serbia formed councils, supporting the National Minority Councils in promoting better communication between the minority communities and governmental institutions has been in the scope of the Mission's activities. With the passage of the Law on National Minority Councils in September 2009, in a significant change to the 2002 law, national minorities will now have the chance to directly elect National Minority Councils. The new Law also increases the competencies of the Councils, especially in the area of education, showing the will of the Serbian authorities to protect rights and freedoms of national minorities.

According to the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, there are currently 19 minorities in Serbia registered to elect their respective National Minority Councils.

The Mission, together with other international organizations, has been engaged in a campaign that has included high level visits, interviews, media spots and introductory workshops to urge minorities throughout Serbia to register to vote.

Seeking greater participation of minority women

"Minority women in general face double discrimination, so for them participation in the elections and later in the work of the National Minority Councils is a chance to empower themselves," says Zorana Sijacki, National Programme Officer at the Equal Opportunities Section of the OSCE Mission to Serbia. This is why the OSCE Mission to Serbia has been putting much emphasis on encouraging women from the minority groups to engage in the process.

The Mission organized a series of visits to the regions of Serbia to meet with female representatives of the minority communities in February to discuss the role of the National Minority Councils and the ideas behind their establishment. During these meetings the Mission experts explained the concepts of gender equality and gender mainstreaming thus providing them with tools they could later use to take more active public and political roles in their respective communities.

"It's very reassuring to realize that there is support and understanding coming from the international community," says Roma activist Sofija Vasiljkovic.

Some minority women who are members of the government institutions are also encouraging greater engagement from their female peers: "My aim is to get the women members of my party involved in the work of the National Council, make them learn as much as possible and motivate them to be active and useful for our community," says Elvira Kovacs of Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians.

Twin objectives

By raising awareness among minorities about the National Minority Councils and encouraging them to register for the elections, and by holding separate workshops for women from those minorities the Mission addresses two objectives: promoting the rights of national minorities and enhancing gender equality.

"It is upon minority women to decide to what extent they will engage in the political life of their communities," says the OSCE's Sijacki. "The OSCE is here to advise and we will continue to support them in promoting gender equality and women's human rights in their communities which will be in line with the authorities of the newly elected National Minority Councils."