"THE JOINT RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN" CONFERENCE HELD

14. December 2016.

Vranje - The second regional conference of local networks of the Pcinj district called "The Joint Response to Violence against Women" was held at the large lobby of the City Hall. Slobodan Milenkovic, PhD, the Mayor of Vranje, started the meeting by saying that he supported the organizers who developed cross-sectorial work.

“By organizing a regional conference, South Serbia has joined the national campaign of the Ministry of Justice called "Rule Violence Out," said Mr. Milenkovic, who stressed that violence against women was a problem of modern society.

“South Serbia recognized the danger of violence committed against women and that is why a Safe House with 25 beds began operating last year,” Mr. Milenkovic said.

Vladimir Bojicic, a counselor at the Ministry of Justice, said that the conference was a true example of establishing a broad coalition whose aim was to reduce violence. Mr. Bojicic also said that the new Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence "was written in the field", from the experiences of the city of Zrenjanin.

"The law itself is a systemic solution, because the competent institutions receive broader powers, while records of the perpetrators of domestic violence will be established, too," said Vladimir Bojicic.

The conference was also attended by Gorjana Mircic, the Deputy Public Prosecutor and a member of the Working Group of the Ministry of Justice for drafting the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, Maja Brankovic Djundic, a representative of the UNDP and the Coordinator of the program "Integrated Response to Violence against Women in Serbia", as well as members of the Working Group LM Vranje, Emilia Toncic, the Deputy Public Prosecutor in Vranje, Marija Janicijevic, a judge and the Head of the Criminal Department of the Basic Court of Vranje and Sinisa Stankovic, the Deputy Head of the Police Department in Vranje.

The organizers of the event were the Human Rights Committee from Vranje and the SOS Hotline from Vranje, with the support of the City of Vranje and the municipalities of Bujanovac, Trgoviste and Surdulica.

Source: OK Radio and Coordination Body