OSCE Mission to Serbia marks International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women

BELGRADE, 23 November 2012 - The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Paula Thiede, expressed today her support for the "16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women” campaign that starts on Sunday.

“Violence against women is a serious violation of human rights which ends tragically for more than 40 women in Serbia each year. This year’s campaign should remind us all that despite the efforts of state institutions and civil society organizations there is still a lot of work to be done, particularly concerning the protection of victims and prosecution of perpetrators,” Thiede said.

“The OSCE Mission to Serbia will continue to actively support state institutions and civil society organizations to put into practice relevant laws and help prevent violence against women, particularly among young people.”  

“I am very pleased that the Serbian Government adopted a national strategy for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and that important steps towards its implementation have been taken. We strongly encourage state institutions and civil society to intensify their efforts to implement educational and advocacy programmes,” added Thiede.

The campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women, is organized by an informal network called "Women against violence" to mark the International Day for the elimination of violence against women.