As the Working Group Chair, the National Assembly Speaker deemed that the Working Group had successfully realised the activities set out in this year’s Work Plan thus contributing to improve the quality of some laws pertaining to the protection of children’s rights.

National Assembly Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic proposed that, in October, the National Assembly should organise public hearings on health care for adolescents and experiences in the implementation of the Law on the Basis of the System of Education and Upbringing, the part pertaining to inclusion. By the end of the year, the Committee plans to hold public hearings on the position and behaviour of women and children in Serbia from the aspect of child punishment and on the on importance of early childhood development, stressed the National Assembly Speaker.

UNICEF Serbia Deputy Director Leslie Miller emphasised the importance of organising a public hearing on the UN Committee’s conclusions and recommendations relating to Serbia’s Report on the implementation of the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

Working Group member Milica Vojic-Markovic informed the Working Group about a seminar held in Novi Sad on 7 and 8 October where a Handbook for parliamentarians on the rights of disabled children in Serbia was presented. On the occasion the parliamentarians were briefed on the problems related to the implementation of the laws on the basis of the system of education and upbringing, on social welfare and health care.

The Working Group members accepted the proposed amendments and modifications to this year’s Work Plan.

In addition, the Children’s Rights Working Group was briefed on the Final Document of the Yerevan conference and obligations stemming from it. They also adopted a Report on the oversight of the Law on the Basis of the System of Education and Upbringing, inclusive education segment.