GENDER EQUALITY IN THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE EU AND THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Abstract

Promoting and achieving of full gender equality is one of the key activities of European Union and there is a strategic commitment to act strongly towards this goal. Gender equality is perceived, among others, as the issue of economic growth and therefore it is necessary that gender perspective is implemented through all activities of EU. The Republic of Serbia, as a candidate for full EU membership, has fully accepted all goals that should be accomplished in accordance with European strategic documents and implemented almost all EC directives concerning the equality of men and women into the legal system. Firstly, the Republic of Serbia constituted legal and institutional framework for the implementation of directives and strategic documents in the further process of negotiations for accessing EU and is continuously working on further improvement and completing of this system. Controlling mechanisms for respecting the equality principle, i.e. prohibition of discrimination, are established and functional, first of all - the central state institution for protecting all citizens from all types of discrimination, including discrimination on grounds of sex – Commissioner for Protection of Equality. Strategic priorities of European Union related to gender equality in five areas, as well as their significance for the social development of the member states, are presented in the introductory part of this work, followed by the institutional framework for the implementation and control of respecting the gender equality principle in the Republic of Serbia, so that second part of the work is a summary outline for the implementation of gender equality.