On the occasion of 52nd session of the Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at which the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Republic of Serbia will be considered, Praxis in cooperation with European Roma Right Centre and Standing Conference of Roma Associations – League of Roma, Roma Women Network, YUROM Centre, Roma Women’s Centre “BIBIJA”, Minority Rights Centre, Roma Association Kostolac, Humanitarian Roma Centre Obrenovac and Roma Education Centre Surdulica, submitted written comments containing the information about problems in practice related to exercising and respecting of the rights recognized by the Covenant.

The organizations which submitted written comments opted for human rights approach. In that sense, they state the basic problems in access to guaranteed rights, particularly the rights to work, social protection and insurance, protection of family, mothers and children, adequate housing, physical and mental health and education.  Also, the written comments also contain the information about anti-discrimination framework, ethnically motivated violence, legally invisible persons and problems in ensuring equal rights of men and women in access to socioeconomic rights. Data presented in the comments are the result of many-year field work, cooperation with organizations at a local level, analysis of previous experience in the work on the subjects relevant for the comments and monitoring of the analysis of work of state institutions. According to the chosen approach, the report does not deal with positive aspects of the state policy in some areas but only with human rights violations which were not referred to in the Second Periodic Report of the Republic of Serbia.

Consideration of submitted reports on taken measures and achieved results in ensuring the respect for rights recognized in the Covenant has been scheduled for 15 May 2014.

Download: Written Comments to the Committee for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights