The primary problem the project seeks to address is the lack of adequate free legal aid and support for victims of gender-based violence in Serbia. The project aims to protect the victims of gender-based violence and domestic violence whose human rights are threatened, while the capacity of national free legal aid providers is still lacking.

The impact of the COVID-19 virus pandemic on access to justice for national minorities and other vulnerable groups in the Republic of Serbia is the topic of a project implemented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Facing a number of challenges in the field of human rights and the judiciary, Serbia continues to make great efforts to advance judicial reform, especially those outlined in the Action Plan for Chapter 23, necessary to improve the rule of law. As Chapters 23 and 35 are key chapters and an unavoidable condition for final progress in all aspects, Yucom, with the support of the Balkan Trust for Democracy, is implementing the second phase of the Civic Monitoring for a Stronger Judiciary project.

The main goal of the project is to strengthen the capacities of human rights defenders both nationally and locally in Serbia. The project aims to improve the situation for human rights defenders such that they can perform their tasks with more confidence; advocate for greater alignment of the existing legislation to international human rights standards; and develop an early warning mechanism for reporting breaches of rights and pressures.

The quality of housing of the Roma population, as well as the legal uncertainty caused by the ownership of illegal housing, are the reasons why the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (Yucom) support the legalization of buildings in Roma substandards settlements in 10 local self-government units. The service will be provided until October 31, 2020, and is organized within the program “EU Support to Roma Inclusion – Strengthening Local Communities for Roma Inclusion”, funded by the European Union and implemented by the SCTM.

The main goal of the project is to improve access to justice and help develop the rule of law in Serbia. Access to justice in Serbia is particularly important in light of the recently adopted Law on Free Legal Aid and amendments to other legal acts that will have a direct impact on citizens’ rights.

The main goal of the project is to improve the efficiency of institutions and to increase the independence of the Ombudsman, which would facilitate citizens’ access to information related to the Ombudsman’s work, as well as equal access to justice.

Legal capacity is a basic precondition for exercising other rights, and deprivation of legal capacity brings with it huge consequences for the daily life and freedom of persons with disabilities. Deprivation of legal capacity practically leads to “civil death” and deprives a person of basic human rights, which endangers his autonomy. Complete deprivation of legal capacity completely excludes any possibility of deciding and disposing of one’s rights.

Legal capacity is the fundamental prerequisite to realizing all other rights, and deprivation of legal capacity carries with itself enormous consequences to the everyday life and freedom of persons with disabilities. Deprivation of legal capacity practically leads to “civil death”, and deprives basic human rights to a person, thus endangering his/her autonomy. Complete deprivation of legal capacity fully excludes any possibility for decision making and enjoying of someone’s rights.

The overall objective of the USAID supported „Constituencies for Judicial Reform in Serbia“ project, is to strengthen citizens’ confidence in the work of judicial institutions in the Republic of Serbia by improving communication between the citizens and the judiciary.

The Project is implemented by a coalition of 12 organizations engaged in human rights and the development of democracy, as well as professional judicial associations.