Support for 34 Local Self-Governments Enhances Social Protection

The Programme "PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature" began with the provision of technical assistance for 34 local self-governments that will contribute to the improvement of social protection at the local level, and thereby improve the quality of life of citizens. The Programme is jointly implemented by the United Nations agencies in Serbia - UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland.

Assistant Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs Tatjana Milenković Kajkut, at the event held in Čačak on the occasion of the start of the Programme support, pointed out that improving the capacity of local self-governments to implement social protection services especially helps the social inclusion of the most vulnerable social groups.

"All activities aimed at improving the quality and access to services in the field of social protection, for those social groups that need support the most, especially when it comes to people with disabilities and members of the Roma national minority, are a priority for the Ministry. To achieve this goal, partnership with international organisations and synergy with local self-governments is very important to us, because only together can we achieve sustainable results", said Milenković Kajkut.

With the financial support of the Government of Switzerland in the amount of 9 million euros and the co-financing of UN agencies in the amount of 1 million euros, the Programme will implement technical assistance, capacity building activities and provide grants for projects of local self-governments and civil society organizations until the end of 2026.

"One of the objectives of the Swiss cooperation programme with Serbia is to improve the quality and availability of local public services, including social protection services. This is in line with our long-term determination to provide support for improving the efficiency, quality and scope of local social inclusion policies and support for equal opportunities for every member of the local community," said Petar Vasilev, National Programme Officer for Governance at the Swiss Cooperation Office.

As part of the technical assistance for the improvement of social protection, intervention will be done on the proper assessment of the needs of vulnerable groups, the establishment of a system for monitoring and evaluation of social protection services, as well as the development of intersectoral services, and a total of 26 cities and municipalities will be supported. Through support for inter-municipal cooperation, local actors will be empowered to apply the principles of good governance during the entire process of negotiation and establishment of inter-municipal cooperation, as well as for the development of mechanisms and tools for monitoring the joint provision of services and evaluating their results, and this activity will be implemented with the participation of a total of 16 local self-governments.

"This Programme decided to provide comprehensive support to cities and municipalities in improving the functioning of the social protection system at the local level. Support will also be provided for the implementation of social protection services that are based on the identified needs of users in local communities, as well as for inter-municipal cooperation in the provision of social protection services", concluded Nataša Ivanović, Programme Officer for Social Inclusion.

The event was also attended by Dr. Marina Vidojević, Assistant Minister for Social Protection, as well as more than 30 representatives of local self-governments engaged in technical assistance.

Technical assistance for the improvement of social protection includes the following local self-governments: Arilje, Ivanjica, Surdulica, Vlasotince, Pirot, Krupanj, Velika Plana, Ćuprija, Boljevac, Svilajnac, Čačak, Jagodina, Loznica, Dimitrovgrad, Kraljevo, Mali Zvornik, Niš, Prijepolje, Smederevo, Sjenica, Prokuplje, Topola, Bor, Valjevo, Veliko Gradište and Trstenik.

Technical assistance for inter-municipal cooperation includes the following local self-governments, as leading and partner: Prijepolje and Nova Varoš, Sjenica, Priboj; Pirot and Babushnica; Ćuprija and Despotovac; Valjevo and Mionica; Trstenik and Aleksandrovac; Kraljevo and Raska; Veliko Gradište and Golubac.