In cooperation with the Cabinet of Minister without portfolio in charge of demography and population policy, we started the new project "EQUAL – Towards closing the gender gap in balancing professional and private lives of employees".
The project will be implemented in the next 18 months, with financial support from the European Union, through the program "Rights, Equality and Citizenship (2014-2020)."
Dr. Slavica Đukić Dejanović, minister without portfolio in charge of demography and population policy said that project "EQUAL - Towards closing the gender gap in balancing professional and private lives of employees" presents one of the activity on the way to creating healthy work atmosphere, more successful and more competitive economy, but also making more parents satisfied. It is supposed to bring results and improve parameters of population dynamic.
“In 2019, 340 more babies were born compared to 2018. which means that population policy measures gave the first results.
I wanted to thank European Union delegation in Serbia who recognized the importance of the EQUAL project and expressed the belief that we, together with the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, are one-step closer to creating an environment that is good for working couples and parents.
We want prosperous Serbia of successful mothers and fathers, capable, content and healthy people who, besides their professional obligations have time for their children”, added Dr. Slavica Đukić Dejanović.
The aim of the project "EQUAL - Towards closing the gender gap in balancing the professional and private lives of employees" is to strengthen the partnership between employees and employers, as well as informing about rights in the field of work and employment, with special emphasis on women.
“We have the pleasure to implement activities in more than 20 municipalities in Serbia and to talk with more than 5000 citizens, company representatives, local government, civil society, and media and to work together on changing the stereotypes that are the biggest obstacles in professional and private life balance.
During the 12 years our Foundation helped 700.000 people through more than 100 different projects. We see the good practice and equality but we still have more examples of inequality between sexes and our mission will be, as always, to point out the position of women, to work on solutions and to inform the public during the campaign about the possibilities and rights, said Ana Koeshall, director of the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation.
“Serbia is the first Western Balkan country to participate in the European Union's "Rights, Equality and Citizenship" program. This program is important for Serbia's accession to the EU, as it covers the obligations of Chapters 23 and 24. It relates to the fight against discrimination, racism, xenophobia and homophobia, other types of intolerance, promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, gender equality, and prevention of violence against children, women and other marginalized groups.
Balancing work and parenting is a daily challenge of women and men in Europe. The aim of the new EU directive is for a parent to have a flexible work schedule and parent leave for fathers when the baby is born.
European Union is the biggest donator in Serbia and it will continue to be your main partner in all initiatives which improves equality and balancing professional life and parenting“, said Mateja Norčič Štamcar“, deputy head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia.
According to National Gender Equality Strategy (2016-2020) of the Republic of Serbia, 95% of women in Serbia spend 5 hours on a daily basis doing housework, while men spend almost 40% less - 3 hours and they have one hour more of free time.
One of the project’s aim is also to increase the level of health literacy of employees and employers.
Media have a very important role when it comes to informing citizens about balancing the professional and private life of woman and man, but also in promoting health and a healthy lifestyle.