Deputy Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Mr Goran Tuponja and member of the Committee Ms Žana Filipović participated in the First Regional Meeting of Parliamentary Bodies Competent for Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality, held in Belgrade, in the organisation of  the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, with OSCE support, in the period 29-30 October 2013.

Participants of the meeting discussed the role of parliamentary working bodies in improvement of gender equality and strengthening political inclusion of women, aimed at establishing goals and directions of further inter-parliamentary cooperation.

It was stated, during the meeting,  that it was necessary to work on further increase of women participation in parliament for the purpose of acquiring critical mass  necessary for implementation of actual changes and gender equality improvement. The accent was placed on the need for implementation of all ratified international conventions and domestic legislation. It was particularly pointed out to the problem of violence against women and tendency for achieving zero tolerance on violence and with regard to that the need for stronger role of the Parliament in the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The parliamentary bodies should be more engaged in terms of monitoring the implementation of the Resolution 1325 SB UN. In addition,  it is necessary to introduce gender funding with the aim of creating official policies which should result in economic empowerment of women. 

Representatives of parliamentary bodies competent for Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality from Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Macedonia participated in the First Regional Meeting

The following spoke at the gathering: Mr Meho Omerović, Chairperson of the Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality , Ms Barbara Lochbihler, Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament, Mr Laszlo Tokes, member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament, Ms Paula Thiede, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Ms Gordana Čomić, Rapporteur of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.