As part of the project “Improving the equality legal and policy framework in Serbia and monitoring implementation of equality norms and policies“, financed by the European Union and implemented by Praxis together with the Equal Rights Trust from London and Sandžak Committee for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms, five civil society organisations were granted funds for monitoring and documenting cases of discrimination in Serbia.

These funds, allocated as sub-grants in the average amount of EUR 5,000, are to be used for documenting cases of discrimination and inequality in Serbia, which have not been yet thoroughly investigated, through the collection of quantitative evidence of cases and forms of discrimination, as well as the subjective experiences of victims of discrimination.

In response to the public call, published in May this year, 32 applications for the allocation of funds were submitted timely. The selection criteria were: 

•  previous experience in research and reporting in the field of human rights;

•  legitimacy among disadvantaged groups and proper accessibility to such groups;

•  capacity to manage properly the allocated funds;

•  relevance of the proposed method of monitoring and documentation and geographical coverage;

•  whether the proposed topic for monitoring and documentation was poorly explored in the past and

•  inclusiveness and integrative approaches. 

The selected civil society organisations will be monitoring and documenting discrimination cases as of January 2018 as follows:

1. Da se zna! will focus on cases of discrimination against LGBT+ people in the field of health care in five cities in Serbia: Niš, Kragujevac, Novi Sad, Novi Bečej and Prokuplje.

2. Roma Researchers will focus on young unemployed Roma, registered with the Employment Agency, in South Bačka District, with special emphasis on discrimination based on age, sex, level of education, ethnicity and religion, disability and sexual orientation.

3. NEOSTART will perform its work in the Belgrade Penitentiary and Correctional Institution in Padinska Skela and the Belgrade District Prison, with the aim of identifying cases of discrimination faced by the convicted returnees who have the experience of being released and becoming victims of some form of discrimination.

4. The Network of Committees for Human Rights in Serbia CHRIS will focus on discrimination against Roma women, who are also disabled, in the field of health care and social protection, in the following places in Serbia: Bujanovac, Vladičin Han, Vranje, Niš, Vlasotinac, Lebane, Negotin, Zaječar, Bor, Valjevo, Lazarevac, Draginje, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje and Tutin.

5. Association of Students with Disabilities will monitor the extent to which students with disabilities are discriminated against at higher education institutions, i.e. the public and private faculties in Belgrade. 

In this way, it will be ensured that discrimination cases are identified and documented and that adequate protection is provided to victims of discrimination.