Back Belgrade Pride Week: building a society free of discrimination

photo: Vesna Lalic

photo: Vesna Lalic

During the Belgrade Pride Week (12-19 September), the joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Promotion of diversity and equality in Serbia” participated at the International Human Rights Conference: Effective Inclusion of LGBTIQ Persons. The conference featured panel discussions that convened international and Serbian human rights experts to share views and best practices on the course of effective LGBTIQ inclusion in Serbia and the region.

In his opening speech, Tobias Flessenkemper, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, noted that avenues of progress achieved in terms of legislative reforms that have been initiated - including a law on same-sex unions on which the Council of Europe provided an expert opinion - will need to be pursued with determination.

Similar statement has been echoed during the Youth Dialogue - panel discussion with the Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue and civil society organisations partners - where it was emphasised that in order to build a society free of marginalisation, discrimination and hatred even more efforts will be required.

The European Union and the Council of Europe will continue its joint action in supporting Serbia to become a place of diversity and equality for everyone.

Belgrade 16 September 2021
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Promotion of diversity and equality in Serbia


What is the goal?


► To strengthen the capacity of national and local stakeholders to better address issues related to anti-discrimination, combating hate-speech and protecting rights of national minorities and LGBTI persons in line with the standards and recommendations set by the Council of Europe – especially those of the European Commission on Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).
► The action also aims at supporting Serbia’s accession negotiations with the European Union in the field of fundamental rights.


Who benefits from the Action?


► The citizens of Serbia
► National and local authorities, including law enforcement agencies
► Education professionals
► National minorities, LGBTI population, and other vulnerable social groups
► Civil society organisations engaged in promoting and protecting human rights
How will the Action work?
► Through a combination of legal and strategic support to institutions; capacity building activities; peer-to-peer exchanges with regional and European partners; raise-awareness campaigns and public discussions on selected anti-discrimination topics; support to CSOs and local authorities by small grant schemes, to enhance their capacities to tackle discrimination and reach out to the citizens.
► It builds on the results of earlier co-operation programs in the field of anti-discrimination in the country, also co-funded by the Council of Europe and the European Union.


What do we expect to achieve?


► To improve the record of implementation of anti-discrimination policies and legislation, at the central and local level (especially on protection of the rights of LGBTI persons, and on combating hate speech/hate crime).
► To enhance the dialogue and co-operation between institutions and civil society organisations in promoting and protecting human rights.
► To strengthen the awareness of citizens on their rights and mechanisms to defend them.
► Ultimately, to achieve better protection of human rights of the citizens of Serbia and build a more diverse, equal and tolerant society.


How much will it cost?


► The total budget of the Action is 650.000 EUR.
► The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).


How to get more information?


► Council of Europe, website of the Anti-discrimination Department: www.coe.int/antidiscrimination
► Social media: www.facebook.com/coeantidiscrimination
► Horizontal Facility website: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/horizontal-facility/home
► Marija Simić, Horizontal Facility Communication Officer, [email protected], +381 63 601 337
Besnik Baka, Horizontal Facility Communication Officer, [email protected], +355 69 217 8430

HORIZONTAL FACILITY II