OSCE Mission to Serbia announces winners of its 2017 Person of the Year Award
BELGRADE, 12 December 2017 – At a ceremony today in Belgrade, the OSCE Mission to Serbia presented its Person of the Year Awards to: Dženeta Agović, Director of the Impuls civil society organization from Tutin; Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality; Tamara Mirović, Deputy Republic Public Prosecutor; Nedim Sejdinović, President of the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina; and Miloš Stojković, media lawyer.
This award celebrates citizens of Serbia who contribute to the promotion of OSCE values in the country.
Dženeta Agović, Director of of the Impuls civil society organization from Tutin, is recognized for her work and committment at community level where she managed to address complex human security challenges in an inclusive and productive manner, developing best practices that can be used, in the future, by other civil society organizations. In 2017, Agović worked with the Mission on issues relating to the prevention of domestic violence in south-western Serbia, raising awareness of the importance of citizens’ dialogue on safety among youth, and the integration of women migrants in local communities.
Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality is awarded for her engagement in combating discrimination and promoting equality and tolerance. In 2017, the Mission partnered with the Commissioner on providing capacity-building opportunities for the judiciary on non-discrimination issues, strengthening co-operation among equality bodies in the region and improving the capacities of labour inspectors to address discrimination in the labour market.
Tamara Mirović, Deputy Republic Public Prosecutor, is awarded for her dedication to the respect of human rights in criminal justice. In 2017, Mirović’s co-operation with the Mission focused on improving the standing of victims of crime and on investigations into allegations of torture and other forms of ill-treatement.
Nedim Sejdinović, President of the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV) is recognized for his contribution to the protection of freedom of the media, professional journalism standards and improvement of information in national minorities’ languages. In 2017, the Mission co-operated with Sejdinović on the implementation of the Agreement on Co-operation and Measures to Increase the Safety of Journalists, signed by the Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Minister of Interior and journalists’ and media associations.
Miloš Stojković, media lawyer is recognized for his dedication to media freedom and development of media legislation. In 2017, Stojković has contributed significantly to drafting a new Strategy for the development of media in the country. He is also co-ordinating a group of five young Serbian lawyers in conducting a comprehensive analysis of the efficiency of legal protection measures for journalists.