The worldwide importance of gender equality has been recognized and emphasised by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Certain world regions have more difficulties with this field of actions than the others, but the problem stays unsolved and gender equality remains unreached. Among the regions with more difficulties with this UN's SDG is definitely Western Balkan region. European Commission’s Country Reports have repeatedly recognised a number of challenges that Western Balkan (WB) countries face in achieving gender equality.
Gender (in)equality in Serbia through the prism of women in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia
27.04.2021.
Inside the patriarchally oriented Western Balkan communities there are layers, or rather levels of gender inequality. Therefore, some countries struggle more than the others. Among which, Serbia, takes a leading role on the scale of the women discrimination when it comes down to them being in the leadership roles.
For the sake of this blog, I will comment the position as well as the number of women in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.
Many CSOs in Serbia are working tirelessly towards achieving a better social and political position of women. However, it is widely familiar that the relationship of CSOs and governmental bodies was never as trustful nor as strong as it was supposed to be.
During the reform process in Serbia, important institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality were established. The Law on Gender Equality and the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination were adopted. Also various relevant laws were revised (such as the Family Law, the Criminal Code, the Labor Law, the Employment Law, etc.). National Strategy for the Advancement of Women and the Promotion of Gender Equality was adopted, as well as the National Strategy for the Prevention and Suppression of Violence against Women in the Family and in Partnerships
In 2008 there was a new law enforced that directly affected female memebrs of the parliament. It concerned the number of women sitting in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. The so called "quotas" regulated that women must make at least 30% of all MPs. This law was recently changed and improved at the suggestion of the MP from the Democratic Party, Gordana Čomić. The percentage was raised from 30 to 40 and the number of women sitting in the parliament increased from 51 to 99 in 2021 (39,6%).
The question arises - is this state of things a realistic representation of women's position in Serbian society? Many would state that this law in a way forces women somewhere they wouldn't have been if the law itself didn't recquire it. But why wouldn't they be in the parliament? It is not about them not being qulified enough nor because they don't have enough of the expertise. It is simply about the patriarchy that you can visualize as a foot on the neck of every woman in the Balkan region. With a disproportion of the opportunities for all women in Serbia when it comes to the education, to the salary amount, carreer and enterpreunership chances, there should exist some kind of stimulans like quotas.
We must not forget that currently 51.3% of the total population in Serbia are women4 and the parliament should be proportional to the citizens of Serbia. Therefore, why isn't the National Assembly made of 51% women? Without the quota law there would have been even fewer of us in there. At least in this way, our voice can be heard in the Government body and at least there are many examples of female politicans on the TV for young girls to look up to.
Goal 5 of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals remains unreached in Serbia, which is not a surprise. There's a long way towards the equality in front of us and many fights left to be faught, but at least we are 99 steps ahead than we were before.