Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

Discrimination based on disability is the third most frequent reason for complaints, after discrimination based on national affiliation and gender, stated the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Janković.

Women and girls with disabilities in Serbia are discriminated against twice as much in nearly all walks of life, noted Janković.

Speaking at the event “Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities” on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality said that since 2010 this body has received 390 complaints for discrimination based on disability, with 111 complaints due to the discrimination of women with disabilities.

The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality said that, according to the 2011 Census, eight percent of the total population are persons with disabilities, with 58.2 percent of them women.

She said that women with disabilities are exposed to discrimination in all walks of public and private life, are frequently invisible in public life and face obstacles in education, healthcare and social protection, are poorer, and unemployed at a higher percentage than men with disabilities.

According to research, 80 percent of girls with disabilities have never attended school.

The Head of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in Serbia Milana Rikanović said it is important to talk about the rights of women or girls with disabilities. She added that one of the more important tasks of UN Women is to monitor compliance with the international norms Serbia undertook.

Source: www.rts.rs