Heroines of our time

The Center for Monitoring and Activism - CEMA organized workshop and panel discussion "Double Discrimination of Women with Disabilities in Public and Political Life" with the support of the French Embassy in Serbia.  

The event was organized in the Startup Center, and more than 25 women with disabilities from all associations, both from Cacak and from Uzice were present.

The aim of such gatherings is to empower women to be involved in decision-making processes, but also to encourage all local actors to provide them with the necessary support along the way. Unfortunately, this event was held without support from the local government, since Deputy Mayor, Milica Dacic, who initially accepted the invitation, withdrew from the panel discussion. We need to emphasize that this was a rare opportunity for women with disabilities to present their problems to decision-makers, but this did not seem to be a sufficient motivation for the appearance of the woman with the highest public function in the city of Cacak.

On the other hand, the representative of the French Embassy in Serbia, Attaché for Cooperation, Bertrand Millet, expressed his desire to meet the participants of the workshop, hear their problems and in a very friendly conversation devoted them twice as much time as foreseen by the agenda. 

"The French Embassy is currently very active in combating all kinds of discrimination and this is a unique opportunity for a joint action. We are aware that the laws are very well done in Serbia, but the fight to change the mentality is very hard. This is also the first call for this kind of collaborative collaboration on the project and we will definitely continue it next year, "said Mr Millet.

Asked if sanctions and harsher penalties are a solution to regulating the rights of persons with disabilities in a modern society, including Serbia, Millet replied: "Personally, I do not think that sanctions are a solution, but it is important that people are reminded and in some milder way pointed to mistakes. If I look at France, things have improved, but through joint efforts and through this kind of conversation and interaction. "

The Center for Monitoring and Activism believes that the absence of representatives of local self-government from such a gathering is a bad message. 

"Local self-government needs to show more sensitivity towards people with disabilities, and this is a general conclusion. I must remind you that Cacak, in addition to Kikinda, was once the leader in the project "Cities without barriers". If local government representatives do not hear people with disabilities and do not have a sense of their problems and needs, how do they think to address these problems? It is not normal that the French Embassy in Serbia is more interested in the problems of women with disabilities in Cacak than local self-government. This is indeed absurd!", said Svetlana Kojanovic, program director of the Center for Monitoring and Activism - CEMA.

In addition to addressing guests from the French Embassy and the organizers of the event, the ladies in attendance had the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions, to present the main problems. Conclusions from the workshop will be reported to local governments.