“Women Build the Future”


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Local news, 19.10.2018

Through the project “Strengthening the Oversight Function and Transparency of the Parliament”, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Switzerland supported the 6th Women’s Parliamentary Network Conference, that took place at the Serbian National Assembly.

Women's parliamentary network conference Serbia
Women's parliamentary network conference Serbia © Marijana Vucic

The Conference addressed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), digitalization and the potential for women’s empowerment as well as climate change and gender equality. It gathered over 400 women local MPs from over 90 municipalities and cities throughout Serbia, with the objective to formulate further steps in strengthening women’s political participation and gender equality in these domains. The Swiss Government has been assisting the Women’s Parliamentary Network (WPN) of the National Parliament and local assemblies’ since 2013.

Ursula Laubli, Head of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Serbia, Counsellor of the Embassy of Switzerland addressed the audience and emphasized that gender equality is a priority for Switzerland’s development cooperation, both globally and in Serbia, in line with SDG 5 for gender equality and women’s empowerment. She highlighted women parliamentarian’s role in shaping the political life in Serbia and outlined the Swiss support to the WPN and to women’s political participation more broadly. As regards women’s economic empowerment, she explained that Swiss economic development projects focus on strengthening women entrepreneurship and ensure their greater employability, in particular among the vulnerable and excluded groups throughout Serbia. She added that the new Gender Equality Law is an opportunity to further promote gender equality.

Maja Gojkovic, Speaker of the National Assembly announced that the National Assembly could adopt a new, modern Law on Gender Equality by the end of the year, allowing for an improved representation of women in the Parliament, state delegations abroad, and Executive Boards of the large corporations. 

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Steliana Nedera, highlighted that innovation and technology transfers pave the way for more responsible and open public services and institutions.  Working together with the Women's Parliamentary Network and with the support of the Government of Switzerland, UNDP is proud to present opportunities for involving women in the digital transformation, for the political and economic empowerment of women.