Unpacking 2014/15
Project: Unpacking 2014/15
Duration: December 2013 – February 2015
Donor: The project is supported by the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Serbia
HATE CRIME – ESTABLISHING MECHANISMS AND MONITORING OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION
From January 2014 to October 2014
Donor: British Embassy
Partner: Gay Straight Alliance – GSA
In October 2012, the Ministry of Justice and State Administration of the Republic of Serbia opened a public debate on the working version of the law amending and completing the Criminal code. In article 54a of this version, hate crime is defined for the first time: hate by reason of the victim’s racial, religious, national or ethnical belonging, sex, sexual orientation or sexual identity, as a motive to commit criminal offences is provided for as an aggravating circumstance in determining the sentence except where this circumstance does not characterize a criminal offence as provided for by law.
Katarina Golubović – Help for Free Legal Help
“Miss, but we need an attorney who is older, you’re young and you can not fight with them,” says a lady who is asking for legal help, one of many who came to our door.
In our organization,Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM) , since it was established in 1997, we only have lawyers. The first lawyer, defender of human rights and also the YUCOM President Biljana Kovačević-Vučo was the originator of the idea that YUCOM should provide free legal aid.
YUCOM: safe legal aid for everyone – ISC presents YUCOM
When A.M. fell victim of discriminationseveral years ago, she did not know who she could turn to for help. She had been enduring insults and was persecuted for years before she decided to take her friend’s advice and make a phone call to an NGO from Belgrade. At the time, she knew little about those organisations, let alone what they were dealing with; yet, she tried to receive legal aid from the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM) https://en.www.yucom.org.rs/. A.M. has found success and she is no longer the subject of discrimination and is one of many citizens of Serbia, who have managed to protect their human and civil rights by utilising YUCOM’s aid.
Regional Anti-Corruption Action: Supporting the Judiciary in Combating Corruption in the Western Balkans
The main aim of the project is moving the rule of law agenda forward, supporting judicial reform in the region and reducing corruption.
Partnership for protection of Human Rights (More Effective Judicial Cooperation with Civil Society)
Duration: March 2013 to February 2014
Sponsor: Open Society Foundation, Serbia
About the project: the project “Partnership for protection of Human” is being implemented by the National Association of Public Prosecutors and Lawyers’ Committee for Human Fights (YUCOM)
Project’s objective: Establishing the more responsible judiciary system and improving the capacities of public prosecution in their application of national legislation concerning criminal law protection of human rights as well as the international human rights standards with the aim in increasing citizens’ trust in judiciary system.
Strengthening of the institute of Public hearing in the Parliament of Serbia – enhancing the role of the civil society
Project title: Strengthening of the institute of Public hearing in the Parliament of Serbia – enhancing the role of the civil society
Duration: Jun – November 2011
Donor: OSCE Mission to Serbia
OSCE Mission to Serbia
Local Civil Society Organization for developing and promoting a concept of modern day care service for elementary schools
Project Title: Local Civil Society Organization for developing and promoting a concept of modern day care service for elementary schools
Duration: December 2013. – March 2014.
Donor: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), International Management Group (IMG) and Gender Equality Directorate of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia (GED).
About the project: The overall objective of this project is to develop and to promote a concept of modern day care service for elementary schools, in aim to encourage equal opportunities and affirmative action for woman, and also to address the need to improve economic status of women, reduce discrimination at work towards them and therefore create the practice of equal opportunities and economic equality among genders.
Legal aid consultant – cross country comparison of regional free legal aid experiences (part of the fiscal impact assessment for legal aid legislation)
Project: Legal aid consultant – cross country comparison of regional free legal aid experiences (part of the fiscal impact assessment for legal aid legislation)
Duration: November 2013 – December 2013
Donor: World Bank
About the project: Right to free legal aid is one of the fundamental rights of democratic society. It enables equal access to justice for all citizens. Constitution of Serbia foresees existence of Law on free legal aid, but it has not been adopted yet, this means that base for free legal aid system does not exist. Very significant issue is financial sustainability of the free legal aid system.
Antidiscrimination mechanisms in practice
Project: Antidiscrimination mechanisms in practice
Duration: April 2012 – December 2012
Donor: This project is supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany.
About the project: The project objective is the litigation of strategic cases and monitoring the implementation of anti-discrimination mechanisms in specific cases, refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees based on readmission and Roma. It is the continuation of activities in line with the findings of previously realized project, which showed a strong need of members of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups for more support and consistent monitoring of the implementation of anti-discrimination mechanisms. Also, it appears that there are still laws and regulations that prevent members of the aforementioned social groups to enjoy their fundamental rights – which requires testing their legality and constitutionality. YUCOM’s legal team came to the conclusion that many of these rights are directly related to the right to adequate housing.