Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The Coordination Body for Gender Equality of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, presided over by the Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlović, presented contracts on 9 October to local self-governments and associations for the implementation of projects aimed at supporting women’s entrepreneurship, worth over RSD 30 million.

The contracts were presented by the Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimović, Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi and Jelena Milovanović on behalf of the UN Women agency.

Deputy Minister Veljko Kovačević stated on behalf of the Coordination Body for Gender Equality that gender equality is high on the agenda of the Government of Serbia and the Coordination Body, as recognized by the European Commission through IPA funds aimed at assisting the economic empowerment and employment of women.

Mrs Joksimović noted that Serbia, as a candidate country, should use pre-accession European Union funds, and that for the first time, with the joint efforts of the Ministry, the Coordination Body for Gender Equality and UN Women, EUR 2 million has been allocated for improving gender equality in Serbia.

Mr Fabrizi said that the goal of the “Key Steps towards Gender Equality” project is aimed at supporting the Coordination Body for Gender Equality, IPA projects coordinated by the Ministry for European Integration, but also local self-governments and associations working in this field.

The Coordination Body for Gender Equality, in cooperation with the Ministry for European Integration and the UN agency for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and with the support of the EU Delegation to Serbia, is implementing the “Key Steps towards Gender Equality” project worth EUR 2 million.

The project has provided support for eight local gender equality mechanisms – from Aleksinac, Knjaževac, Kruševac, Šabac, Temerin, Tutin, Užice and Žitište, to implement activities from their local action plans for gender equality. Furthermore, eight associations and civil society organizations have been provided support to implement activities with the aim of economic empowerment of women in rural areas and support to women’s entrepreneurship.

Source: www.srbija.gov.rs