Citizens of Serbia have not had the opportunity to experience improvements in their standard of living, labor rights, or other areas crucial for protection of economic and social rights over the past year.
Social inequalities have deepened, and in recent months, we have witnessed – and actively participated in, the struggle for systemic changes aimed at achieving long-awaited and much-needed justice and progress. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to create a state apparatus that prioritizes the interests of its citizens.
The lack of political will to establish a system based on the rule of law and international standards in the field of economic and social rights – coupled with numerous policy decisions that actively harm the most vulnerable, has been highlighted in the latest annual report by the A 11 Initiative, presented during the “Social Right Days – May Meetings 2025” under the title “A System Against the Poor.”
The full report is available HERE.
During the May Gatherings, visitors had the opportunity to take part in three panel discussions focused on various current issues related to economic and social rights. On the first day, the report was officially presented to the public. The second day featured a highly engaged discussion on the struggle for affordable housing, preceded by a screening of the documentary Mother City, which explores civic struggles in Cape Town.
The third day addressed a particularly pressing issue in Serbia—poverty. We first discussed the dire working conditions, especially for precarious labor, followed by a conversation on the living conditions faced by children from marginalized social groups.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at this year’s May Gatherings 2025.
See you next year!
