Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure, Prof. Dr. Zorana Mihajlovic signed contracts for the fulfillment of the projects in social housing – helping safe houses, with the representatives of the NGO sector working in the area.
Ministry budgets allocated 10 million dinars for supporting projects of social housing in 2017.
“We decided to assign funds to the organizations dealing only with safe houses because we want to raise the fight against violence to a higher level. The contest aims to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions in the shelters for women victims of domestic violence. It also clearly says stop to violence against women” -says Ms. Mihajlovic, who is also the president of the Coordinating Body for Gender Equality.
She added that ten houses will be reconstructed with the support of the Ministry of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure.
“Support and help women victims of violence get in the shelters is immeasurable and that is why it is of the utmost importance to provide support for their work and ensure appropriate conditions for staying in them” – says Ms. Mihajlovic. She adds that the contest is an excellent example of cooperation between State and Local Administration and the civil sector.
A coordinator of the Domestic Violence Counselling Center, Ms. Vesna Stanojevic, thanked the Ministry for support.
“We haven’t had this kind of support so far. It is significant to recognize goodwill coming from this initiative. Through this project, we will make sure that women and children victims of violence feel better, that things offered to them are of higher quality and that they know someone is thinking of them” says Ms. Stanojevic.
Dr. Nada Padejski Sekerovic, manager of The Safe House Novi Sad, pointed out that this project will enable the accessibility of safe houses to women with disabilities.
“In this way, we send the message that the doors of social care are open to all women, no matter the disability or some other difficulties they face”, added Ms. Padejski Sekerovic.
