International Women’s Day 2026 - From Global Commitments to Everyday Equality

Belgrade, 5 March 2026 – Marking International Women’s Day, leaders from national institutions, the European Union and the United Nations reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing gender equality in practice. The discussion highlighted the importance of coordinated action and continued cooperation to ensure that progress benefits all women and girls.

The event, titled “From Global Commitments to Everyday Equality”, focused on how established standards and policy frameworks translate into tangible results in everyday life. At the centre of the discussion was the recently finalized Country Gender Equality Profile (CGEP) 2025, a joint analytical reference developed by the United Nations Country Team in Serbia.

The Profile provides an evidence-based overview of how gender equality frameworks function across sectors such as economic participation, protection from violence, education, digital transformation and decision-making. It confirms that Serbia has developed a comprehensive normative foundation aligned with international standards, while underscoring the importance of sustained institutional coordination and effective implementation to accelerate progress.

Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, stated:

“The EU is one of the best places in the world to be a woman. But we are not perfect and we continuously work to make the lives of our women and girls fairer and more equal. Ahead of International Women's Day, the European Commission will adopt the Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030, which will outline concrete measures to advance gender equality and address key issues such as combating gender-based violence, narrowing gender gaps in pay and employment, and promoting gender-sensitive policies in the digital and green transitions. In Serbia, the last Annual Report of the European Commission has noted a set of recommendations which, if implemented, provide guidelines for improving gender equality, and the EU will continue to support Serbia in achieving them.”

UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia, Matilde Mordt, emphasized the importance of acceleration and collective leadership: 

“Serbia has legal foundations in place for gender equality. Human capacities are strong. The next phase is about implementation — faster, more coordinated and better resourced. Gender equality is not a standalone issue; it runs across economic growth, digital transformation, green transition and governance. And ‘for all’ must truly mean all — including women in rural areas, Roma women, women with disabilities, young women entering the labour market and survivors of violence. Acceleration is not optional — it is necessary.”

Minister without portfolio in charge of gender equality, prevention of violence against women, and economic and political empowerment of women, Tatjana Macura, highlighted:

“International Women’s Day reminds us that equality is not symbolism — it is an obligation. Our priority is to ensure that every woman in Serbia has equal opportunities for employment, career advancement and political participation, and that she is fully safe both at home and in the workplace. Combating violence against women is not a one-day topic — it is a daily responsibility of institutions.”

Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, underlined:

“Women have fought for the right to vote, education, work and participation in decision-making. Yet in a world marked by wars and crises, women remain particularly exposed to violence, displacement, poverty and systemic violations of human rights. Equality must not remain a goal we may one day reach. Our responsibility is to give voice to those who face discrimination and to call for solidarity and collective action to advance equality in everyday life.”

The event concluded with a panel discussion titled “Experiences that Drive Change”, featuring women and young leaders supported through UN programmes in areas such as economic empowerment, Roma women’s rights and choices, digital skills development and youth engagement in preventing gender-based violence.

Sharing their personal and professional journeys, the panelists spoke about the most common drivers to gender equality — such as economic security and equal employment opportunities, digital inclusion, positive gender and social norms, shared parenting and care responsibilities, prominent voice of young people in changing entrenched stereotypes to exclusion and discrimination, respectful environment free of any type of discrimination and abuse — and about the concrete ways in which targeted support, institutional cooperation and community-based initiatives moves the gender equality agenda forward. Their experiences illustrated how global commitments gain meaning when translated into practical solutions at the local level.

International Women’s Day 2026 reaffirmed that advancing gender equality requires sustained partnership between institutions, communities, international partners and other stakeholders through a whole of society approach — ensuring that global commitments are reflected in everyday equality.