Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Serbia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Serbia:
Story
26 January 2023
Vulnerable Households in Serbia Face Unique Challenges due to Ukrainian Crisis
New research has revealed that vulnerable and marginalized population groups in the Republic of Serbia are facing distinct challenges resulting from both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian crisis.
Poverty projections for the most vulnerable population categories in Serbia - families with children and older persons – were presented today by UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office as part of the Joint United Nation’s Programme “Extending Social Protection to Families in Serbia with Enhanced Shock-Responsiveness” which is mainly funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund.
Bearing the brunt of the crises are families with young children, particularly those with more than four household members, older persons living alone or in older households, refugees, asylum seekers, persons at risk of statelessness and internally displaced persons, those living in rural or remote areas, or with a minimum income.
“This joint project, implemented in close cooperation with the Serbian Government, is a call to strengthen social protection services and systems, especially at a time when we are facing rising costs. It is essential that social protection systems are correctly targeted, so that those who are more vulnerable can receive the necessary support to have a safe and productive life. Our shared goal is to reduce inequalities,” said Francoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia.
Research shows that poverty does not affect all households in the same way. In fact, households with children are among the most vulnerable in Serbia.
“Child poverty figures for 2022 are expected to show an increase from 10.6% to 13.8%, representing an additional 27,987 children living below the absolute poverty line. The most vulnerable are children living in large families, those in rural households and in Roma settlements. To effectively protect children from poverty, comprehensive social policy measures and budgets are needed. The response should move away from blanket coverage to a poverty-targeted and child-focused approach. Both an increase in coverage and the adequacy of financial assistance programmes, including child allowance, are needed in order to meet the current and future needs of children,” said Deyana Kostadinova, UNICEF Representative in Serbia.
A separate research, covering poverty projections for the older persons, shows that particularly those living in rural and remote areas are stretched in meeting their needs for food, hygiene, or medicines.
“Our latest results indicate that the rate of absolute poverty in 2022 has increased to 12.3% for the entire population, and a similar trend was recorded for the population over 65 and equals 10.3%, which is an increase compared to the data from 2020 when it was 6.8%. As part of the project, UNFPA distributed one-time financial assistance to around 70, mostly single-member elderly households, and from discussions with the beneficiaries, we received comments that this type of assistance should be organized more often,” said Borka Jeremic, Head of the UNFPA Office in Serbia.
Social protection is a key policy tool for building resilience, combating poverty and improving economic and social outcomes among migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. It can protect people from life-cycle contingencies and external shocks that might otherwise cause them to fall into poverty.
“With the efforts to improve the situation of all the vulnerable groups in the Serbian society, we must jointly ensure that the forcibly displaced, internally displaced and stateless persons not be left behind. The improved access of these groups to personal documents, healthcare, social protection and assistance is of paramount importance. The UN Refugee Agency, along with the other UN agencies, stands ready to support the Government in these efforts,” said Edlira Baka Peco, UNHCR Community-based Protection Officer.
Through this UN Joint Programme, support has been provided to the Government of Serbia to strengthen the national social protection and shock-responsive policy framework and increase adequate budget resources for the protection of the most vulnerable population groups.
“Poverty has lifelong consequences, which are often passed from generation to generation; however, it is neither inevitable nor immune to concerted efforts. Through consistent attention and coordinated action, it can be reduced and even eradicated. The United Nations agencies involved in the implementation of the project stand ready to further support the Government of the Republic of Serbia to empower vulnerable populations living in poverty,” said Dr Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Special Advisor for the Implementation of the Agenda 2030, the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
About the project:
UN Joint Programme Extending Social Protection to families in Serbia with enhanced shock-responsiveness focuses on strengthening shock-responsive social protection system to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the consecutive crisis that hit the country.
Its aim is to (i) strengthen the data response on the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable groups to feed into the introduction of legislative changes for adaptive social protection system (ii) apply the shock-responsive social protection principles to provide support for the 170 most vulnerable families The project is implemented jointly by UNICEF (lead agency) and UNFPA, with the participation of UNHCR and in close partnership with the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Agenda 2030, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, other line-Ministries, Local Self Governments, Statistical Office, Red Cross and World Bank. The total project value is $289.200, funded mainly by the UN Joint SDG Fund.
Call to action available at the following link.
1 of 5
Story
26 January 2023
At greatest risk of poverty: children and older people
Serbia, Zajecar/Jagodina, January 2023 - Even before the dilapidated house appears on the hill, which can be reached by a muddy road, 83-year-old Persida is already at the gate. She has been waiting since early morning and is eager to talk. She lives alone in the village of Sljivar near Zajecar, in eastern Serbia. Persa, as she is known to her friends, is 83 years old and has difficulty moving because of her poor vision.
“How can I walk when I can't see. And I can’t have surgery due to high blood pressure. I’m old. It’s really hard!”
Now, help has arrived. And Persa needs help. Her pension is only seven thousand dinars per month (€60).
“What can I do with seven thousand?” asks Persa. “Nothing, to tell you the truth. I'm lucky that I got this, so I can buy something to eat. Seven thousand is nothing. I have to pay for the electricity, phone, water...”
Persida received a one-off humanitarian cash transfer from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as part of the UN Joint Programme, which is being implemented by UNICEF and UNFPA, with the participation of UNHCR, state institutions and the Red Cross.
“I should buy food; I would get flour. But I feel bad spending it because I don't have much...,” says Persa.
“Given her low income, this is a significant help for Persa,” explains Vladan Markovic, Secretary-General of the Red Cross in Zajecar. He will help Persa buy what she needs because there is no shop in the village. “She’ll use that money for food, medicines and to pay the bills which have piled up.”
Persa is one of 114 people over the age of 75 who have received one-off humanitarian cash transfer from UNFPA. They have many things in common. They are older and ill. Often, they cannot get out of bed, and usually live alone.
Persa is also lonely, and often looks through her family photos. Her son, she says, is far away. He lives in Italy, they rarely talk on the phone, and he hardly ever visits her. Her husband passed away ten years ago. And since there aren’t many young people in the village, nobody comes to visit Persa. Every Friday morning, however, she rushes to the gate to be on time to collect the weekly meals provided by the Soup Kitchen.
“This man passes by and I come out, he gives me bread, a hot meal and a little can of pate spread.”
Winter is especially hard. Persa shows that her arm hurts, because she cuts her own firewood for the small stove in the only room that she keeps heated.
“I can’t keep livestock. It's no use that I have land, when no one wants to work it and split the yield,” says Persa. “Otherwise, I would keep a small pig, to have some lard, some meat... And I live in scarcity, I don't eat meat at all. How can I when a kilogram of meat costs one thousand dinars! It’s really tough.”
In addition to older persons, the burden of the economic crisis caused by the slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine is also borne by families with young children.
Twenty-three-year-old Bojana Kostic and her thirty-year-old husband, Aleksandar Jovanovic, from Jagodina in central Serbia, have felt the consequences of these two crises. They have five children - their daughter is nine months old; her older brothers are two, three, four and nine years old.
“My husband is currently unemployed. He works when someone calls him. We receive social assistance and child benefits. We pay the rent, electricity. The money we have can’t cover it,” says Bojana.
Her husband vividly recalls how difficult the period during the COVID-19 pandemic was for them.
“It was a disaster! No work, you just had to wait and see if someone would show you some mercy and help you out.”
Aleksandar also collects recyclable materials. He works whenever someone calls him, just so he can provide for his family of seven.
“I do manual labour, construction work. I go to the scrap yard when someone calls me,” explains Aleksandar.
Bojana’s biggest worry is having enough food for all the children, as well as having enough money to buy milk and nappies for the baby.
They are also counting on the daily meals provided by the Soup Kitchen. Things are even harder during the winter, as it’s a challenge to heat the dilapidated house.
“We need money for the firewood. We hardly have any money left after we pay the rent and buy food,” explains Bojana.
That’s why the one-off humanitarian cash transfer provided by UNICEF and its partners is so important.
“We got the card (from UNICEF) to buy things. We bought clothes, winter boots, food for our children, the usual things they need,” says Bojana.
I would like to thank UNICEF and the Red Cross. They helped us as much as they could. We spent it on things for our children. There was around a thousand dinars left, I used it to buy medicine for our baby, because she was sick and that’s it, Aleksandar is grateful.
Four-year-old Janos and his younger brother Matej go to kindergarten. They cheerfully grab crayons, and when they find a piece of paper, they show us what they learned in preschool. Their eldest brother, nine-year-old Miodrag, also helps them.
“They like it in kindergarten. They learn songs there, they have recitals. They had one for New Year’s and Christmas. They got presents. They have food there, things to wear. They also give us clothes, sometimes even food,” Bojana says.
Stefan Malenovic, the Secretary of the Red Cross in Jagodina, says that families with multiple members, most often with young children or those who have a member with a disability, received assistance on a payment card from UNICEF and its partners. In Jagodina, 17 families received that assistance.
“Most often they bought food, the stuff with longer shelf life,” Stefan explains. “This aid means a lot to them. It’s winter, electricity bills have gone up, rent as well. They are very grateful to UNICEF and the donors, who also ensured that all the 17 families received this assistance.”
UNICEF helped 142 families in Serbia that are at particular risk of poverty, while UNFPA has helped more than 70 older people households in municipalities with the highest ageing index. A total of 212 households received one-off assistance, tailored to the number of household members, through the United Nations Joint Programme “Extending Social Protection in Serbia through Enhanced Shock-Responsive Policy”, implemented by UNICEF and UNFPA, with the participation of UNHCR, and in cooperation with government institutions and the Red Cross, and thanks to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Fund.
“This joint project, implemented in close cooperation with the Serbian Government, is a call to strengthen social protection services and systems, especially at a time when we are facing rising costs. It is essential that social protection systems are correctly targeted, so that those who are more vulnerable can receive the necessary support to have a safe and productive life. Our shared goal is to reduce inequalities,” said Francoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia.
Through this UN Joint Programme, support has been provided to the Government of the Republic of Serbia to strengthen the national framework of social protection and emergency response policies and to increase budgetary resources for the protection of the most vulnerable population groups.
Full video available at the link.
Written by Jelena Terzić
1 of 5

Story
24 January 2023
Second Joint Steering Committee meeting of the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025 of the United Nations and the Government of Serbia
Belgrade, 24 January 2023 – The UN in Serbia and the Government of Serbia organized the second Joint National Steering Committee (JNSC) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025 (UNSDCF). The meeting was co-chaired by Minister of EU Integration Ms. Tanja Miscevic, UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Francoise Jacob, and Ambassador Vuk Žigić, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Miščević noted that Agenda 2030 and European integration are national priorities for Serbia. She emphasized the importance of the development plan as an umbrella document of Serbia's strategic development plan, and stated that the first step is to prepare the legal framework for the development plan. "We have to consult and talk with everyone to make sure that our development strategy is successful," Miščević added.
"Working closer together and faster, we have so little time to deliver for the people and the planet. Together with our national counterparts, we will continue to advance the full realisation of Agenda 2030 with a people-centered approach to development and to promote values of solidarity, unity, and equity, to accelerate fundamental transformations in our economic and social models, anticipate risks and take robust preventive actions,” says Francoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia.
“Serbia has made noticeable progress since the adoption of the Agenda 2030, and is taking steps to ensure a safe and stable future. Its main priorities include helping vulnerable groups, strengthening the economy, reducing poverty, improving education, youth issues, gender equality, protecting the environment, and increasing respect for human rights and the rule of law,” says Vuk Zigic, Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Serbia.
UNSDCF, valued at 364 million dollars, of which aid totaling 121 million dollars was already realized by September 2022, represents the basis for supporting our country in three important strategic areas: 1) green transformation; 2) social protection/demographic resilience; and 3) rule of law, human rights, gender equality, and good governance, in accordance with Agenda 2030 and the Agenda for Accession to the European Union.
The Joint National Steering Committee of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations is the highest governing body of the United Nations Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development.
All documents and presentations from the meeting are available at this link.
1 of 5

Story
11 January 2023
Italian Embassy and UN in Serbia launch youth mentoring program to empower young people
Belgrade, 4 January 2022 - The United Nations in Serbia and the Italian Embassy in Serbia have announced the launch of a new youth mentoring program to promote human rights and youth participation in the development of their communities. The program is funded by the Italian Embassy and scheduled to run from January 1st to December 31st 2023, with a total budget of 130,000 EUR, with the Italian Embassy contributing 101,880 EUR.
The project seeks to expand the opportunities for youth participation at the local level and promote human rights and social cohesion. It will support young men and women to become social innovators, leaders, thinkers, and a powerful and informed force for change in their communities and country.
“This project is an important step to ensure that young people have the opportunity to actively contribute to the development of their communities and shape the future of their country,” says Francoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia. “It will provide the resources and support necessary for young people develop their leadership skills and capacities to promote human rights and youth participation. The project is part of a wider UN initiative across the region on Youth empowerment for Peace, Development and Trust Building.
Luka Gori, Italian Ambassador Serbia praised the joint initiative, stating “This project is a great opportunity to strengthen the role of youth in protecting and promoting human rights, as well as increase youth participation at the local level. We are committed to helping young people unleash their potential to become social innovators and powerful forces for change.”
The project will be implemented by UNFPA and UN Women, in close cooperation with the Youth Advisory Group, and supported by the Resident Coordinator's Office. It is expected to result in enhanced leadership skills and capacities of young men and women to promote human rights, youth rights and youth participation including through social media campaigns and visibility activities.
1 of 5

Story
20 December 2022
Nations Adopt Four Goals, 23 Targets for 2030 In Landmark UN Biodiversity Agreement
Montreal – Nearing the conclusion of a sometimes fractious two-week meeting, nations of the world today agreed on a historic package of measures deemed critical to addressing the dangerous loss of biodiversity and restoring natural ecosystems.
Convened under UN auspices, chaired by China, and hosted by Canada, the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF), including four goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030.
Among the global targets for 2030:
Effective conservation and management of at least 30% of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. The GBF prioritizes ecologically-representative, well-connected and equitably-governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories and practices. Currently 17% and 10% of the world’s terrestrial and marine areas respectively are under protection.
Have restoration completed or underway on at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems
Reduce to near zero the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance,including ecosystems of high ecological integrity
Cut global food waste in half and significantly reduce over consumption and waste generation
Reduce by half both excess nutrients and the overall risk posed by pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals
Progressively phase out or reform by 2030 subsidies that harm biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive incentives for biodiversity’s conservation and sustainable use
Mobilize by 2030 at least $200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources – public and private
Raise international financial flows from developed to developing countries,in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition, to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030
Prevent the introduction of priority invasive alien species, and reduce by at least half the introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species, and eradicate or control invasive alien species on islands and other priority sites
Require large and transnational companies and financial institutions to monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity through their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios
Warns the GBF: “Without such action, there will be a further acceleration in the global rate of species extinction, which is already at least tens to hundreds of times higher than it has averaged over the past 10 million years.”
The framework’s four overarching global goals
GOAL A The integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems are maintained,enhanced, or restored, substantially increasing the area of natural ecosystems by 2050; Human induced extinction of known threatened species is halted, and, by2050, extinction rate and risk of all species are reduced tenfold, and the abundance of native wild species is increased to healthy and resilient levels; The genetic diversity within populations of wild and domesticated species,is maintained, safeguarding their adaptive potential. GOAL B Biodiversity is sustainably used and managed and nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced, with those currently in decline being restored, supporting the achievement of sustainable development, for the benefit of present and future generations by 2050. GOAL C The monetary and non-monetary benefits from the utilization of genetic resources, and digital sequence information on genetic resources, and of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, as applicable, are shared fairly and equitably, including, as appropriate with indigenous peoples and local communities, and substantially increased by 2050, while ensuring traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is appropriately protected, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, in accordance with internationally agreed access and benefit-sharing instruments. GOAL D Adequate means of implementation, including financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology to fully implement the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework are secured and equitably accessible to all Parties, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition,progressively closing the biodiversity finance gap of $700 billion per year,and aligning financial flows with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity. Held at Montreal's Palais des Congrès Dec. 7-19, representatives of 188 governments on site (95% of all 196 Parties to the UN CBD, as well as two non-Parties – the United States and The Vatican), finalized and approved measures to arrest the ongoing loss of terrestrial and marine biodiversity and set humanity in the direction of a sustainable relationship with nature, with clear indicators to measure progress. In addition to the GBF, the meeting approved a series of related agreements on its implementation, including planning, monitoring, reporting and review;resource mobilization; helping nations to build their capacity to meet the obligations; and digital sequence information on genetic resources. For example, The Global Environment Facility was requested to establish, as soon as possible, a Special Trust Fund to support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (“GBF Fund”). The fund would complement existing support and scale up financing to ensure the timely implementation of the GBF with adequate, predictable and timely flow of funds. Digital sequence information on genetic resources – a dominant topic at COP15 –
has many commercial and non-commercial applications, including pharmaceutical product development, improved crop breeding, taxonomy, and the monitoring of invasive species. COP15 delegates agreed to establish within the GBF a multilateral fund for the equitable sharing of benefits between providers and users of DSI, to be finalized at COP16 in Türkiye in 2024. The agreement also obligates countries to monitor and report every five years orless on a large set of "headline" and other indicators related to progress against the GBF's goals and targets. Headline indicators include the percent of land and seas effective conserved, the number of companies disclosing their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity,and many others. The CBD will combine national information submitted by late February 2026 and late June 2029 into global trend and progress reports. * * * * * Emphasized throughout the approved documents are the needs to foster the full and effective contributions of women, persons of diverse gender identities, youth,indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society organizations, the private and financial sectors, and stakeholders from all other sectors. Also emphasized: the need for a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach” to implementing the GBF.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: 23 targets
TARGET 1 Ensure that all areas are under participatory integrated biodiversity inclusive spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land and sea use change, to bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. TARGET 2 Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity. TARGET 3 Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water,and coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable,and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities including over their traditional territories. TARGET 4 Ensure urgent management actions, to halt human induced extinction of known threatened species and for the recovery and conservation of species, in particular threatened species, to significantly reduce extinction risk, as well as to maintain and restore the genetic diversity within and between populations of native, wild and domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential, including through in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable management practices, and effectively manage human-wildlife interactions to minimize human-wildlife conflict for coexistence. TARGET 5 Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal, preventing overexploitation, minimizing impacts on non-target species and ecosystems, and reducing the risk of pathogen spill-over, applying the ecosystem approach, while respecting and protecting customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities. TARGET 6 Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services by identifying and managing pathways of the introduction of alien species, preventing the introduction and establishment of priority invasive alien species, reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species by at least 50 percent, by 2030, eradicating or controlling invasive alien species especially in priority sites, such as islands . TARGET 7 Reduce pollution risks and the negative impact of pollution from all sources, by2030, to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, considering cumulative effects, including: reducing excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half including through more efficient nutrient cycling and use; reducing the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half including through integrated pest management, based on science, taking into account food security and livelihoods; and also preventing,reducing, and working towards eliminating plastic pollution. TARGET 8 Minimize the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity and increase its resilience through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction actions, including through nature-based solution and/or ecosystem-based approaches, while minimizing negative and fostering positive impacts of climate action on biodiversity. TARGET 9 Ensure that the management and use of wild species are sustainable, thereby providing social, economic and environmental benefits for people, especially those in vulnerable situations and those most dependent on biodiversity,including through sustainable biodiversity-based activities, products and services that enhance biodiversity, and protecting and encouraging customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities. TARGET 10 Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity,including through a substantial increase of the application of biodiversity friendly practices, such as sustainable intensification, agroecological and other innovative approaches contributing to the resilience and long-term efficiency and productivity of these production systems and to food security, conserving and restoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people,including ecosystem functions and services. TARGET 11 Restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, such as regulation of air, water, and climate,soil health, pollination and reduction of disease risk, as well as protection from natural hazards and disasters, through nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches for the benefit of all people and nature. TARGET 12 Significantly increase the area and quality and connectivity of, access to, and benefits from green and blue spaces in urban and densely populated areas sustainably, by mainstreaming the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and ensure biodiversity-inclusive urban planning, enhancing native biodiversity, ecological connectivity and integrity, and improving human health and well-being and connection to nature and contributing to inclusive and sustainable urbanization and the provision of ecosystem functions and services. TARGET 13 Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at all levels, as appropriate, to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources and from digital sequence information on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources,and by 2030 facilitating a significant increase of the benefits shared, in accordance with applicable international access and benefit-sharing instruments. TARGET 14 Ensure the full integration of biodiversity and its multiple values into policies,regulations, planning and development processes, poverty eradication strategies,strategic environmental assessments, environmental impact assessments and, as appropriate, national accounting, within and across all levels of government and across all sectors, in particular those with significant impacts on biodiversity,progressively aligning all relevant public and private activities, fiscal and financial flows with the goals and targets of this framework. TARGET 15 Take legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage and enable business,and in particular to ensure that large and transnational companies and financial institutions: (a) Regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks,dependencies and impacts on biodiversity including with requirements for all large as well as transnational companies and financial institutions along their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios; (b) Provide information needed to consumers to promote sustainable consumption patterns; (c) Report on compliance with access and benefit-sharing regulations and measures, as applicable; in order to progressively reduce negative impacts on biodiversity, increase positive impacts, reduce biodiversity-related risks to business and financial institutions, and promote actions to ensure sustainable patterns of production. TARGET 16 Ensure that people are encouraged and enabled to make sustainable consumption choices including by establishing supportive policy, legislative or regulatory frameworks, improving education and access to relevant and accurate information and alternatives, and by 2030, reduce the global footprint of consumption in an equitable manner, halve global food waste, significantly educe overconsumption and substantially reduce waste generation, in order for all people to live well in harmony with Mother Earth. TARGET 17 Establish, strengthen capacity for, and implement in all countries in biosafety measures as set out in Article 8(g) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and measures for the handling of biotechnology and distribution of its benefits as set out in Article 19 of the Convention. TARGET 18 Identify by 2025, and eliminate, phase out or reform incentives, including subsidies harmful for biodiversity, in a proportionate, just, fair, effective and equitable way, while substantially and progressively reducing them by at least500 billion United States dollars per year by 2030, starting with the most harmful incentives, and scale up positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. TARGET 19 Substantially and progressively increase the level of financial resources from all sources, in an effective, timely and easily accessible manner, including domestic,international, public and private resources, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans, by2030 mobilizing at least 200 billion United States dollars per year, including by: (a) Increasing total biodiversity related international financial resources from developed countries, including official development assistance, and from countries that voluntarily assume obligations of developed country Parties, to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030; (b) Significantly increasing domestic resource mobilization, facilitated by the preparation and implementation of national biodiversity finance plans or similar instruments according to national needs, priorities and circumstances (c) Leveraging private finance, promoting blended finance, implementing strategies for raising new and additional resources, and encouraging the private sector to invest in biodiversity, including through impact funds and other instruments; (d) Stimulating innovative schemes such as payment for ecosystem services,green bonds, biodiversity offsets and credits, benefit-sharing mechanisms, with environmental and social safeguards (e) Optimizing co-benefits and synergies of finance targeting the biodiversity and climate crises, (f) Enhancing the role of collective actions, including by indigenous peoples and local communities, Mother Earth centric actions and non-market-based approaches including community based natural resource management and civil society cooperation and solidarity aimed at the conservation of biodiversity (g) Enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of resource provision and use; TARGET 20 Strengthen capacity-building and development, access to and transfer of technology, and promote development of and access to innovation and technical and scientific cooperation, including through South- South, North-South and triangular cooperation, to meet the needs for effective implementation, particularly in developing countries, fostering joint technology development and joint scientific research programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and strengthening scientific research and monitoring capacities, commensurate with the ambition of the goals and targets of the framework. TARGET 21 Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge, are accessible to decision makers, practitioners and the public to guide effective and equitable governance, integrated and participatory management of biodiversity, and to strengthen communication, awareness-raising, education, monitoring, research and knowledge management and, also in this context, traditional knowledge,innovations, practices and technologies of indigenous peoples and local communities should only be accessed with their free, prior and informedconsent20, in accordance with national legislation. TARGET 22 Ensure the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making, and access to justice and information related to biodiversity by indigenous peoples and local communities,respecting their cultures and their rights over lands, territories, resources, and traditional knowledge, as well as by women and girls, children and youth, and persons with disabilities and ensure the full protection of environmental human rights defenders. TARGET 23 Ensure gender equality in the implementation of the framework through a gender-responsive approach where all women and girls have equal opportunity and capacity to contribute to the three objectives of the Convention, including by recognizing their equal rights and access to land and natural resources and their full, equitable, meaningful and informed participation and leadership at all levels of action, engagement, policy and decision-making related to biodiversity.
GOAL A The integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems are maintained,enhanced, or restored, substantially increasing the area of natural ecosystems by 2050; Human induced extinction of known threatened species is halted, and, by2050, extinction rate and risk of all species are reduced tenfold, and the abundance of native wild species is increased to healthy and resilient levels; The genetic diversity within populations of wild and domesticated species,is maintained, safeguarding their adaptive potential. GOAL B Biodiversity is sustainably used and managed and nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced, with those currently in decline being restored, supporting the achievement of sustainable development, for the benefit of present and future generations by 2050. GOAL C The monetary and non-monetary benefits from the utilization of genetic resources, and digital sequence information on genetic resources, and of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, as applicable, are shared fairly and equitably, including, as appropriate with indigenous peoples and local communities, and substantially increased by 2050, while ensuring traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is appropriately protected, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, in accordance with internationally agreed access and benefit-sharing instruments. GOAL D Adequate means of implementation, including financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology to fully implement the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework are secured and equitably accessible to all Parties, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition,progressively closing the biodiversity finance gap of $700 billion per year,and aligning financial flows with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity. Held at Montreal's Palais des Congrès Dec. 7-19, representatives of 188 governments on site (95% of all 196 Parties to the UN CBD, as well as two non-Parties – the United States and The Vatican), finalized and approved measures to arrest the ongoing loss of terrestrial and marine biodiversity and set humanity in the direction of a sustainable relationship with nature, with clear indicators to measure progress. In addition to the GBF, the meeting approved a series of related agreements on its implementation, including planning, monitoring, reporting and review;resource mobilization; helping nations to build their capacity to meet the obligations; and digital sequence information on genetic resources. For example, The Global Environment Facility was requested to establish, as soon as possible, a Special Trust Fund to support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (“GBF Fund”). The fund would complement existing support and scale up financing to ensure the timely implementation of the GBF with adequate, predictable and timely flow of funds. Digital sequence information on genetic resources – a dominant topic at COP15 –
has many commercial and non-commercial applications, including pharmaceutical product development, improved crop breeding, taxonomy, and the monitoring of invasive species. COP15 delegates agreed to establish within the GBF a multilateral fund for the equitable sharing of benefits between providers and users of DSI, to be finalized at COP16 in Türkiye in 2024. The agreement also obligates countries to monitor and report every five years orless on a large set of "headline" and other indicators related to progress against the GBF's goals and targets. Headline indicators include the percent of land and seas effective conserved, the number of companies disclosing their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity,and many others. The CBD will combine national information submitted by late February 2026 and late June 2029 into global trend and progress reports. * * * * * Emphasized throughout the approved documents are the needs to foster the full and effective contributions of women, persons of diverse gender identities, youth,indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society organizations, the private and financial sectors, and stakeholders from all other sectors. Also emphasized: the need for a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach” to implementing the GBF.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: 23 targets
TARGET 1 Ensure that all areas are under participatory integrated biodiversity inclusive spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land and sea use change, to bring the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity, close to zero by 2030, while respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. TARGET 2 Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity. TARGET 3 Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water,and coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable,and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities including over their traditional territories. TARGET 4 Ensure urgent management actions, to halt human induced extinction of known threatened species and for the recovery and conservation of species, in particular threatened species, to significantly reduce extinction risk, as well as to maintain and restore the genetic diversity within and between populations of native, wild and domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential, including through in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable management practices, and effectively manage human-wildlife interactions to minimize human-wildlife conflict for coexistence. TARGET 5 Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal, preventing overexploitation, minimizing impacts on non-target species and ecosystems, and reducing the risk of pathogen spill-over, applying the ecosystem approach, while respecting and protecting customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities. TARGET 6 Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services by identifying and managing pathways of the introduction of alien species, preventing the introduction and establishment of priority invasive alien species, reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species by at least 50 percent, by 2030, eradicating or controlling invasive alien species especially in priority sites, such as islands . TARGET 7 Reduce pollution risks and the negative impact of pollution from all sources, by2030, to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, considering cumulative effects, including: reducing excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half including through more efficient nutrient cycling and use; reducing the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half including through integrated pest management, based on science, taking into account food security and livelihoods; and also preventing,reducing, and working towards eliminating plastic pollution. TARGET 8 Minimize the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity and increase its resilience through mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction actions, including through nature-based solution and/or ecosystem-based approaches, while minimizing negative and fostering positive impacts of climate action on biodiversity. TARGET 9 Ensure that the management and use of wild species are sustainable, thereby providing social, economic and environmental benefits for people, especially those in vulnerable situations and those most dependent on biodiversity,including through sustainable biodiversity-based activities, products and services that enhance biodiversity, and protecting and encouraging customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities. TARGET 10 Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity,including through a substantial increase of the application of biodiversity friendly practices, such as sustainable intensification, agroecological and other innovative approaches contributing to the resilience and long-term efficiency and productivity of these production systems and to food security, conserving and restoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people,including ecosystem functions and services. TARGET 11 Restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, such as regulation of air, water, and climate,soil health, pollination and reduction of disease risk, as well as protection from natural hazards and disasters, through nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches for the benefit of all people and nature. TARGET 12 Significantly increase the area and quality and connectivity of, access to, and benefits from green and blue spaces in urban and densely populated areas sustainably, by mainstreaming the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and ensure biodiversity-inclusive urban planning, enhancing native biodiversity, ecological connectivity and integrity, and improving human health and well-being and connection to nature and contributing to inclusive and sustainable urbanization and the provision of ecosystem functions and services. TARGET 13 Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at all levels, as appropriate, to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources and from digital sequence information on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources,and by 2030 facilitating a significant increase of the benefits shared, in accordance with applicable international access and benefit-sharing instruments. TARGET 14 Ensure the full integration of biodiversity and its multiple values into policies,regulations, planning and development processes, poverty eradication strategies,strategic environmental assessments, environmental impact assessments and, as appropriate, national accounting, within and across all levels of government and across all sectors, in particular those with significant impacts on biodiversity,progressively aligning all relevant public and private activities, fiscal and financial flows with the goals and targets of this framework. TARGET 15 Take legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage and enable business,and in particular to ensure that large and transnational companies and financial institutions: (a) Regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their risks,dependencies and impacts on biodiversity including with requirements for all large as well as transnational companies and financial institutions along their operations, supply and value chains and portfolios; (b) Provide information needed to consumers to promote sustainable consumption patterns; (c) Report on compliance with access and benefit-sharing regulations and measures, as applicable; in order to progressively reduce negative impacts on biodiversity, increase positive impacts, reduce biodiversity-related risks to business and financial institutions, and promote actions to ensure sustainable patterns of production. TARGET 16 Ensure that people are encouraged and enabled to make sustainable consumption choices including by establishing supportive policy, legislative or regulatory frameworks, improving education and access to relevant and accurate information and alternatives, and by 2030, reduce the global footprint of consumption in an equitable manner, halve global food waste, significantly educe overconsumption and substantially reduce waste generation, in order for all people to live well in harmony with Mother Earth. TARGET 17 Establish, strengthen capacity for, and implement in all countries in biosafety measures as set out in Article 8(g) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and measures for the handling of biotechnology and distribution of its benefits as set out in Article 19 of the Convention. TARGET 18 Identify by 2025, and eliminate, phase out or reform incentives, including subsidies harmful for biodiversity, in a proportionate, just, fair, effective and equitable way, while substantially and progressively reducing them by at least500 billion United States dollars per year by 2030, starting with the most harmful incentives, and scale up positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. TARGET 19 Substantially and progressively increase the level of financial resources from all sources, in an effective, timely and easily accessible manner, including domestic,international, public and private resources, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans, by2030 mobilizing at least 200 billion United States dollars per year, including by: (a) Increasing total biodiversity related international financial resources from developed countries, including official development assistance, and from countries that voluntarily assume obligations of developed country Parties, to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, to at least US$ 20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least US$ 30 billion per year by 2030; (b) Significantly increasing domestic resource mobilization, facilitated by the preparation and implementation of national biodiversity finance plans or similar instruments according to national needs, priorities and circumstances (c) Leveraging private finance, promoting blended finance, implementing strategies for raising new and additional resources, and encouraging the private sector to invest in biodiversity, including through impact funds and other instruments; (d) Stimulating innovative schemes such as payment for ecosystem services,green bonds, biodiversity offsets and credits, benefit-sharing mechanisms, with environmental and social safeguards (e) Optimizing co-benefits and synergies of finance targeting the biodiversity and climate crises, (f) Enhancing the role of collective actions, including by indigenous peoples and local communities, Mother Earth centric actions and non-market-based approaches including community based natural resource management and civil society cooperation and solidarity aimed at the conservation of biodiversity (g) Enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of resource provision and use; TARGET 20 Strengthen capacity-building and development, access to and transfer of technology, and promote development of and access to innovation and technical and scientific cooperation, including through South- South, North-South and triangular cooperation, to meet the needs for effective implementation, particularly in developing countries, fostering joint technology development and joint scientific research programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and strengthening scientific research and monitoring capacities, commensurate with the ambition of the goals and targets of the framework. TARGET 21 Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge, are accessible to decision makers, practitioners and the public to guide effective and equitable governance, integrated and participatory management of biodiversity, and to strengthen communication, awareness-raising, education, monitoring, research and knowledge management and, also in this context, traditional knowledge,innovations, practices and technologies of indigenous peoples and local communities should only be accessed with their free, prior and informedconsent20, in accordance with national legislation. TARGET 22 Ensure the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making, and access to justice and information related to biodiversity by indigenous peoples and local communities,respecting their cultures and their rights over lands, territories, resources, and traditional knowledge, as well as by women and girls, children and youth, and persons with disabilities and ensure the full protection of environmental human rights defenders. TARGET 23 Ensure gender equality in the implementation of the framework through a gender-responsive approach where all women and girls have equal opportunity and capacity to contribute to the three objectives of the Convention, including by recognizing their equal rights and access to land and natural resources and their full, equitable, meaningful and informed participation and leadership at all levels of action, engagement, policy and decision-making related to biodiversity.
1 of 5

Press Release
12 December 2022
Social Policy Workshop of the Joint SDG Programme - Social protection and needs of the most vulnerable population groups
“Rising food and energy costs may drastically influence the living standards of children in Serbia. They may also make the share of essential spending in the total budget higher and all other non-essential spending lower. Education costs might decrease and significantly negatively affect children from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. UNICEF, UNFPA and UNHCR stand ready to support the Government of the Republic of Serbia in introducing shock-sensitive social protection measures that will hopefully respond to the current crisis, but also help the country better respond to future shocks,” said Deyana Kostadinova, UNICEF Representative in Serbia.
Sub-groups of older people, particularly in rural and remote areas, are reported to be stretched in meeting their needs for food, hygiene, or medicines.
“Through the assessment of the impact of poverty on older persons, we obtained valuable data especially when it comes to their discrimination, social isolation and poverty. Through group discussions with the most vulnerable groups of the population and one-time financial assistance to 70 households with older people, with special focus on single headed older households, in addition to helping them ease the consequences of crises, we managed to identify people who are outside the social protection system, who live on the edge of existence, and remain invisible and left behind,” said Borka Jeremic, UNFPA Head of Serbia Country Office.
Recent crises have caused displacement on an unprecedented scale. Migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers often face recurrent and seemingly insurmountable barriers in accessing social protection as a right. Social protection is anchored in international human rights principles and is a key policy tool for building resilience, combating poverty and improving economic and social outcomes among vulnerable individuals and families. It can protect people from life-cycle contingencies and external shocks that might otherwise cause them to fall into poverty.
“As a part of the national social protection system, forcibly displaced people have a right to social assistance and protection in Serbia. Within the UN-joint program, UNHCR has provided recommendations on how to further strengthen their access to these rights and the overall shock-responsive social protection framework. Refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced and stateless people should be strongly included in it, as some of the most vulnerable social groups in Serbia. This would mean providing them timely emergency assistance and safeguarding their well-being in case any specific challenges arrive, such as the Ukraine crisis and COVID pandemic,” stated Stefanie Krause, UNHCR Representative a.i.
Through this Joint UN Programme, support will be provided to the Government of Serbia to strengthen the national social protection and shock-responsive policy framework and increase adequate budget resources for the protection of the most vulnerable population groups.
“I am happy that not only representatives of the state and international organizations participated in this workshop, but also civil society because the work on the implementation and promotion of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs is the business of all actors – from state authorities to each individual. Only by creating partnerships, through a holistic approach, can we succeed in our intention to take advantage of the development opportunity offered to us, to establish a higher degree of democracy, gender equality, equality, individualism, and cooperation in society,” said Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia responsible for the 2030 Agenda.
The UN Joint Programme “Extending Social Protection to families in Serbia with enhanced shock builds on the experience of the UN in in Serbia in addressing social protection and the needs of the most vulnerable groups.
About the project:
UN Joint Programme Extending Social Protection to families in Serbia with enhanced shock-responsiveness focuses on strengthening shock-responsive social protection system to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the consecutive crisis that hit the country.
Its aim is to (i) strengthen the data response on the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable groups to feed into the introduction of legislative changes for adaptive social protection system (ii) apply the shock-responsive social protection principles to provide support for the 170 most vulnerable families. The project is implemented jointly by UNICEF (lead agency) and UNFPA, with the participation of UNHCR and in close partnership with the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Agenda 2030, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, other line-Ministries, Local Self Governments, Statistical Office, Red Cross and World Bank. The total project value is $289.200, funded mainly by the UN Joint SDG Fund.
1 of 5
Press Release
05 December 2022
Serbia and Kosovo*: End politicisation of transitional justice processes, says UN expert
BELGRADE (2 December 2022) – Serbia and Kosovo* must end politicised tactics that hamper truth, justice and reconciliation efforts aimed at addressing the legacy of grave human rights violations during the 1998-99 armed conflict in the region, a UN expert said today.
At the end of an 11-day official visit to Serbia and Kosovo, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabián Salvioli, raised concerns about the lack of cooperation among authorities in Belgrade and Pristina in the transitional justice process.
The UN expert noted in his statement that questions about the fate and whereabouts of missing persons and the pursuit of criminal justice for war crimes have dominated the transitional justice process in Serbia and Kosovo since the end of the conflict. He welcomed initiatives adopted by relevant authorities for truth-seeking and justice, but noted that progress had been “alarmingly slow”.
“Lack of cooperation often driven by political agendas have brought progress to a halt,” the Special Rapporteur said.
Salvioli urged Serbia and Kosovo to intensify efforts to bring perpetrators of gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law to justice, regardless of their ethnic affiliation. “The search for missing persons and cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo, including in the Working Group of Missing Persons, must be resumed without further delay,” he said. “The families of missing persons find themselves hostage to political interests and to the unwillingness of authorities, who fail to take steps to end their suffering.”
The UN expert also warned about restrictive legal frameworks in Serbia and Kosovo which hamper access to reparations by all victims of the conflict. “I call on relevant authorities in Belgrade and Pristina to improve their respective legal frameworks to ensure that all victims can access reparation without discrimination,” the expert said.
He expressed concern about the insufficient recognition and commemoration of the harm suffered by all victims to the conflict. “The acknowledgement of suffering and dignity of all victims is vital to an effective process of transition and reconciliation,” the UN expert said, urging authorities to ensure transmission of their stories to current and future generations through school curricula and textbooks, cultural activities and the media.
“The legacy of past violations with all its complexities must be adequately and comprehensively addressed to move the process of social reconciliation forward. Victims must be placed at the very centre of this process,” Salvioli said.
The Special Rapporteur observed the extensive use of ethnocentric, nationalistic and biased narratives about the conflict in fields of education, memorialisation, culture and the media in both Serbia and Kosovo. “The manipulation of past events and the concomitant exaltation of nationalistic and ethnic-related sentiments for political motivation, is short-sighted, ill-advised and an act of public irresponsibility which can lead to the recurrence of violence,” he said.
He urged authorities to ensure that narratives and history textbooks do not become sources of future conflicts.
Salvioli called on the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina to renew efforts to advance comprehensive transitional justice agendas in Serbia and Kosovo with a view to achieving effective reconciliation, sustaining peace and preventing a recurrence of violence.
During his visit, the UN expert met government officials, civil society and human rights representatives, survivors of war crimes, families of victims, and representatives of the international community. He also visited mass grave sites, former concentration camps, and memorials dedicated to remembering the past.
The Special Rapporteur will submit a full report on his visit to the Human Rights Council in 2023.
ENDS
*All references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).
Mr. Fabian Salvioli (Argentina) was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 as the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. He is a human rights lawyer and professor. Fabián Salvioli is professor of International Law and Human Rights at the School of Law of the University of La Plata. He has lectured in many countries and universities across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. Mr. Salvioli has authored several books and articles on international human rights law. He was member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee between 2009 and 2016, and its President between 2015 and 2016. Mr. Salvioli served twice as member and three times as president of Ad-Hoc Arbitration Courts on Monetary Reparations, within the Friendly Settlement Mechanism of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. He received several honorary titles in recognition of his work in the fields of human rights and education.
Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
UN Human Rights, Country Page: Serbia
For further information and media enquiries, please contact: During the mission: Ms. Brenda Vukovic (+ 41 076-281 9813 / brenda.vukovic@un.org)
For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts, please contact Renato Rosario De Souza (renato.rosariodesouza@un.org) or Dharisha Indraguptha (dharisha.indraguptha@un.org)
Follow news related to the UN’s independent human rights experts on Twitter @UN_SPExperts.
1 of 5
Press Release
10 November 2022
Displaced persons from the 1990s received building materials
UNHCR, OSCE, Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, together with Sremska Mitrovica mayor have participated in the Regional Housing Program event which has officially announced the delivery of 120 building material packages in various places in Serbia. The event was held at the home/construction site of one of the beneficiary families in the village of Šašinci, near Sremska Mitrovica.
Aleksa Pilipović, a refugee from Bugojno, BiH, received a package of construction materials worth EUR 9 000. The Pilipović family received materials for the complete reconstruction of their home (roof, floors, insulation, facade, interior doors, carpentry, and bathroom materials), which they plan to use to adapt their home to accommodate their six-year-old daughter, who has special needs.
The delivery of the remaining packages under the RHP SRB9 sub-project also began in Bačka Topola and Ruma.
“UNHCR and OSCE are part of the RHP process since the beginning. The strength and patience of the Pilipović family in facing the challenges of life is remarkable and UNHCR is happy that they have finally got a housing solution and the opportunity to live a better life“, said Ivana Jelić, UNHCR Serbia Head of Integration Unit.
…
1 of 5
Press Release
07 November 2022
Media - an important ally in ending gender violence
Belgrade, October 27, 2022 – A public debate on media reporting on violence against women was held today at UN House in Belgrade. The aim of this discussion was to answer to the question of how media reporting can contribute to the creation of a society in which violence is unacceptable and victims receive appropriate protection.
The discussion was officially opened by Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and Yakup Beris, UNDP Serbia Resident Representative.
“It is the responsibility of all of us not to stay silent and not to accept widespread relativization and sensationalism, but to raise awareness about violence against women being the worst and most shameful form of the violation of human rights. It cannot be tolerated nor justified, but must be combated and sanctioned “, stated Brankica Janković, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality.
The Commissioner pointed out that media have an important role in eliminating stereotypes dominant in the patriarchal culture, and added: “Unfortunately, we still see disputable wording of news titles and inappropriate photographs, and that is why I urge journalists and editors not to be motivated by the fight for clicks, viewers and number of copies sold in these cases, but to keep in mind that this is about the life of someone’s wife, mother, sister or daughter.“
Yakup Beris, UNDP Serbia Resident Representative stated: „Recognizing the important role media have in society, their power to place certain topics in focus and shape public opinion, UNDP, together with other sister UN agencies, supports journalists to report ethically on violence against women. In partnership with national and local public institutions and media, we are contributing to the achievement of gender equality and to building an environment where violence against women is not tolerated. “
Members of the group ‘Journalists against violence’, Jovana Gligorijević (Vreme weekly), Ana Manojlović (Radio Television of Serbia) and Iva Paradjanin (Tampon zona podcast), stated that it is of great importance that editors understand that violence against women is a specific topic and journalists with special training and experience should be sent to report on it. They also pointed out that journalists should be encouraged to receive additional training on this topic. They added that media should use reporting on concrete cases of violence to shed light on the entire phenomenon, its causes and consequences, not only for the survivor, but for the wider community.
„We are making an effort, and I think we’ve achieved to respect the guidelines pointed out so many times by civil society organizations dedicated to this topic and journalists from group ‘Journalists against violence‘. We pay special attention not to cause secondary victimization in any way. Unfortunately, not all employees have had the chance to participate in trainings for journalists on how to report on this sensitive topic. However, we do have many who have, and who always react when there is news about a femicide or violence against women and provide guidelines on how to approach the topic and place information in the proper way. We try to deal with the problem of violence against women as a phenomenon and provide solutions. That is how we select our interviewees”, stated Igor Božić, Program Director of N1 Television.
Editor-in-Chief of Kurir, Aleksandar Đondović pointed out that Adria Media Group has introduced the position of the Manager for Ethical Standards and in doing so made a step towards self-regulation.
“In the last two and a half years, we have worked systematically on the improvement of ethical standards in Kurir, and achieved results also include reporting on violence against women. Permanent work with the editorial office, above all, continuous staff training, has contributed to improved results year after year, and it is my great pleasure to say that improvements have been noticed, besides employees, by our readers, but also colleagues from other media and associations. Our goal, as a ‘premium tabloid’ paper, is to show that it is possible to be current, fast, attractive, while respecting ethics”, Đondović added.
Dragan Kecman, Editor-in-Chief of the Story magazine stated that ’lifestyle’ media for women approach the topic of violence against women with increased seriousness, and that in the recent years great changes have occurred in the way concrete cases of violence on the public scene are reported on.
„Unfortunately, this is a topic lifestyle media deal with mainly when the perpetrator or survivors belong to the jet-set, music or film scene and there is a lack of will to interest readers in learning more about the topic through interviews with psychologists or representatives of institutions. What I find wrong in my field of work, is that we tend to quickly forgive and forget convicted perpetrators of violence who are public figures and we approach them as if nothing happened”, Kecman added.
On this occasion, Marija Janković, photo editor of the “Vreme” weekly opened the photo and illustration exhibition “An image for change”. It includes works that represent the problem of violence against women in an ethical way. The exhibition, placed at the UN House until December 10, 2022, represents a selection of works from the database for free use by media, available at: https://novinarkeprotivnasilja.org/en/no-base/
The Group „Journalists against violence“ developed Guidelines and training for journalists to help them report ethically on violence against women in all segments of their work– from how they behave in the field, to approaching survivors of violence, witnesses, as well as to the selection of interviewees and formulations they use when writing texts and titles.
The discussion was organized within the project “Integrated Response to Violence against Women in Serbia III”, implemented jointlyby UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and UNDP in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with support of the Government of Sweden.
1 of 5
Press Release
24 October 2022
UN in Serbia calls for promoting culture of dialogue, tolerance and equality at the Music for Peace concert marking the 77th anniversary of the organization
This unique event brings together more than 15 talented artists of different cultural, social and national backgrounds from 10 countries – within the Balkans region and beyond - in a unique performance in Belgrade, calling for Peace around the world, silencing the guns, and promoting international solidarity and cooperation to build a better, safer, and more sustainable world and future for all.
“I would like to renew the UN call for all responsible parties to shape solutions, policies, political and diplomatic decisions that bring people together, and build social cohesion. We call for citizens and their representatives to nurture solidarity, diversity, dignity and non-discrimination for all, in other words, to promote a culture of peace, dialog, tolerance, and equality – every day, in every circumstance,” says Francoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia. “As we mark UN Day, we renew our hope, trust and conviction in what we can achieve when we work together. The UN team is committed to support the new government and all our partners here, towards an accelerated implementation of Agenda 2030,” she stressed.
One of the important roles of the United Nations is in conflict prevention, using diplomacy, good offices and mediation. “To have a chance at peace, lasting, sustaining peace here in the region, in Europe and in the world, we have to be committed, persistent, inclusive in our quest. We have to acknowledge and be at peace with our differences, engage all champions of peace, with participation of the youngest and the oldest, women and men, businesses, academia, students, community leaders - everyone. In our joint efforts for peace, Serbia will continue to have a steadfast partner in the United Nations, including in its political, peacebuilding and peace effort,” says Mari Yamashita, Representative of the SG and Head of UN Office in Belgrade.
The Republic of Serbia is a reliable partner of the United Nations in achieving common goals "A special priority is achieving the goals of the Agenda for Sustainable Development by 2030, and in relation to the objectives we consider activities at the national level, focused on a wide range of issues, among which I would like to stress the importance of gender equality, protection and empowerment of the position of women and vulnerable categories", said Acting Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Cooperation. "In cooperation with the United Nations, concrete steps are being taken in the area of faster progress in achieving the fight against climate change, a sustainable, green and inclusive economy and social equality," Milanovic added.
About the United Nations Day
24 October marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the UN Charter entered into force. UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our Common Agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 77 years.
Contact: Aleksandra Stamenković, Communications and Advocacy Officer, Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia. E: aleksandra.stamenkovic@un.org T: + 381 63 302 831
1 of 5
Latest Resources
1 / 11
Resources
03 November 2022
Resources
26 January 2023
Resources
24 June 2022
1 / 11