A Program Manager of IZ KRUGA VOJVODINA and an editor of the Disability Portal, Veronika Mitro, took part in the work meeting of the European Council and local independent institutions and civil organizations in the premises of the youth center OPENS. The aim was to familiarize the representatives of the European Council with the areas of work of independent institutions and organizations from Novi Sad and for the representatives of institutions and organizations to get to know the action of the European Council – Combating Discrimination and Promotion of Diversity in Serbia.
On behalf of the European Council, the following participated in the meeting: Throsten Afflerbach, the Head of the Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Programs Division; Svetlana Rakic, Senior Project Officer; and Maja Mikic Landratoske, Project Assistant. On behalf of independent institutions, representatives of the Provincial Protector of Citizens – Ombudsman, Deputy Janos Oros, and the Local Ombudsman office of the City of Novi Sad, Marina Popov Ivetic, attended the meeting. Apart from IZ KRUGA VOJVODINA, representatives of the following organizations took part in the meeting: group IZADJI, Center for Youth Work, BalkanIDEA Novi Sad, Association Snaga porodice (Family Power), Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization, Kulturanova, The National Organization of Practitioners of Youth Work NAPOR, and the host of the meeting the Association of Youth Organizations OPENS.
The action Combating Discrimination and Promotion of Diversity in Serbia aims to provide support to Serbia to honor the standards of the European Council, especially the ones related to the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ACFCNM).
The Action will primarily focus on providing continuing support for legislative and policy reforms aimed at combating discrimination and protecting the rights of national, ethnic, and linguistic minorities; strengthening the capacities of beneficiaries in countering hate speech and hate crime; promoting and protecting vulnerable social groups including youth, Roma, and LGBT population. The Action is broadening its focus on improving protection and the accessibility to the compensation mechanisms for all social groups at risk and on providing further promotion of diversity on a local level.
