Commissioner for the Protection of Equality: Warning to the public regarding inadmissible content on Happy TV

Photo: http://ravnopravnost.gov.rs/

Women activists from the Western Balkans and Turkey determined to change the way they prevent violence against migrant women

A threat is violence in itself, and it must be treated that way. It is also necessary to develop society consciousness that violence is unacceptable, including the social responsibility of reporting it. Children should be spoken to on these topics as early as elementary school, especially boys, who should be ‘equally repelled by rape as by cannibalism’.

Andrijana Radoičić Nedeljković: Victims need safety, security, and certainty

Photograph: Piroshki photography

Girls in Serbia often suffer various forms of discrimination or gender-based violence, and the most drastic issue are child marriages, according to the nongovernmental organization "Atina".

A social worker from that organization, Andrijana Radoičić Nedeljković, told the Voice of America that girls face inequality almost from conception.

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1. Victims must be informed of all their rights and informed in a timely manner of all services and the functioning of the entire support mechanism and the clear mandates of all actors involved, in a way that is clear and understandable to them.
2. It is necessary to establish the entire support mechanism on the needs of the victim and respect the full participation of the victim, for the support system to be centered on the victim, to move from "work for the victim" to "work with the victim". Not only to be asked but also to be heard.

When faced with any crisis, fear and anxiety are inevitable, they are normal and natural responses to situations of danger and uncertainty. It is quite easy to get lost in worrying and thinking about different things that we cannot influence, what awaits us in the future, how the virus will affect our loved ones, our community, country or world, what will happen next. And while it is perfectly normal to get lost in such worries and thoughts it is neither useful nor can it help us in any way.

Working for almost two decades on developing direct support programs for girls and women who have experienced gender-based violence and human trafficking, the key principle that Atina's team is guided by in its work is the principle of full and comprehensive participation. Atina's basic starting point is to create program activities according to the requirements and needs of each girl and woman who is a part of her.

Photo: NGO Atina's archive

Lidija Đorđević from NGO Atina: The voices of women with the experience of violence need to be heard and appreciated. It makes a difference and brings about change.