Report to the Human Rights Council at the 43rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review
Comments
May 2023
This submission to the Human Rights Council at the 43rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review of Serbia focuses on the denial of parental and child allowance to Roma children, the exclusion of undocumented Roma from cash assistance to mitigate consequences of the pandemic, the human rights concerns raised by the social cards system, access to health care for undocumented Roma women and children and ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic and Social rights.
Legal Opinion on International and Comparative Human Rights Law Concerning the Matter of the Social Card Law Pending before the Constitutional Court of Serbia
November 2022
This legal opinion, warning about incompatibility of social card system in Serbia with international human rights standards, was co-authored by by Amnesty International, Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad, the Digital Welfare State & Human Rights Project at the Center for Human Rights & Global Justice at New York University School of Law, the European Roma Rights Center, the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights, Kenya Human Rights Commission, and the Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy at Northeastern University. Its preparation was coordinated by the Economic Social Rights Network. This legal opinion was filed to the Serbian Constitutional Court to assist the Court in the procedure of assessment of the constitutionality of the Law on Social Card, by offering relevant information and examples of the human rights ramifications of digitisation in similar contexts.
Written Contribution to European Commission 2022 Annual Report on Serbia
20 April 2022
A 11 Initiative’s written contribution to the European Commission 2022 Annual Report for Serbia focuses on labor rights, labor exploitation in the Linglong factory, the Law on Social Cards, the adoption of the National Housing Strategy, the right to adequate housing, denial of parental and children allowance to vulnerable Roma children and exclusion of the most vulnerable citizens from COVID-19 crisis mitigation measures.
Joint Submission to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for its 71st session and the review of the Republic of Serbia
14 January 2022
A 11 Initiative, along with nine civil society organizations and representatives of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Vojvodina, submitted a report for the 71st session of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the review of the third periodic report of Serbia. The report covered issues such as the justiciability of socio-economic rights, ratification of the Optional Protocol, access to free legal aid, the case of labor exploitation in the Linglong factory, youth employment, and homelessness.
Joint Submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the occasion of the review of Serbia’s third periodic report at the 71st Session
January 2022
This joint report, prepared by the Center for Economic and Social Rights and the A 11 Initiative, presents the main concerns and challenges in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Serbia, including details about the obligation to use maximum available resources with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the Covenant. Furthermore, the report explores the impact of austerity measures on the realization of economic and social rights in Serbia and the impact of the COVID-19 recovery plan on the rights of the most vulnerable population. The report also draws attention to the right to social security and the right to an adequate standard of living.
Alternative Report for the 71st Session of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by the Platform of Organizations for Cooperation with UN Human Rights Mechanisms
January 2022
This joint alternative report for the 71st session of the UN CESCR, prepared with the Platform of Organizations for Cooperation with UN Human Rights Mechanisms, covers the issues such as independence and competence of the Ombudsman’s Office in the field of socio-economic rights; exclusion of undocumented Roma from cash assistance to mitigate consequences of the pandemic; registration of permanent and temporary residence for Roma from Kosovo; access to rights and services for asylum seekers and refugees; problems in the field of social protection; arbitrary pension cuts; discriminatory conditions for parental and child allowance; access to health care for Roma and refugees; the position of LGBTI persons in Serbia.
What do the Signing and Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Bring us?
This advocacy brief urges Serbia to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and offers an overview of the benefits that Serbian citizens would gain upon the ratification of the Optional Protocol.
Written contribution to the 2021 Annual Report for Serbia on Political Criteria and chapters 23 and 24
14 April 2021
In its written contribution for the European Commission 2021 Annual Report on Serbia, A 11 Initiative draws attention to the discriminatory provisions of the Law on Financial Support to Families with Children, the right to adequate housing, the Law on Free Legal Aid, NHRIs, access to the right to education and the State`s measures during the pandemic, with special reference to the position of Roma and position of tradeswomen.
Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in relation to the invitation for comments to the Draft General Comment on. 25 on Children’s rights in relation to the digital environment
November 2020
Draft General Comment No. 25 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child pertains to children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. As a part of the call for comments on this draft, A 11 Initiative made a submission focused on guarantees relating to children’s right to privacy and protection of personal data in the digital environment.
Joint Submission to the GANHRI Sub-Committee on Accreditation on the occasion of re-accreditation of Serbian NHRI
15 October 2019
This joint submission to the GANHRI SCA raises several issues relevant to the re-accreditation of the Protector of Citizens, including: the procedure of appointing the new Protector of Citizens; financial independence of the institution; protection of human rights of persons deprived of liberty and criminal suspects; legislative and other initiatives of the Protector of Citizens relevant for the protection of economic and social rights; and lengthy proceeding before the Protector of Citizens.
Submission of follow-up document to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in relation to the Concluding observations on the third periodic report of Serbia
13 March 2019
A 11 Initiative made a submission to the UN Human Rights Committee regarding the that Serbia submitted to the Committee in January 2019 in relation to the Concluding Observations of the Third Periodic Review of Serbia. A 11 Initiative`s submission focuses on Roma exclusion and the Committee`s recommendation to promote non-discriminatory access to opportunities and services in all fields for Roma.
In focus: Four years of forced labour in Serbia results of the implementation of the decree on social inclusion measures for recipients of financial welfare assistance
17 October 2018
In this short briefing, A 11 Initiative summarizes the main findings from its research on the first four years of the implementation of the Decree on Social Inclusion Measures for Recipients of Financial Welfare Assistance.
Written Contribution to European Commission`s 2019 Progress Report on Serbia
5 November 2018
In its written contribution for the European Commission 2019 Annual Report, A 11 Initiative draws attention to the shortcomings of the Proposal of the Law on Free Legal Aid, Draft law on Social Protection and the Law on Financial Support to Families with Children.
Comments on the draft law on the amendments of the law on social welfare
8 August 2018
A 11 Initiative submitted written comments on the draft law on the Amendments of the Law on Social Welfare, containing detailed comments on specific solutions from the draft law, as well as principal objections to the text of the draft law, such as the introduction of measures that are contrary to the State`s obligations regarding the prohibition of forced labor.
Internally displaced persons in Serbia:
How to access the right to a dignified life?
October 2018
This advocacy brief presents the most pressing issues for local integration of internally displaced persons in Serbia, followed by recommendations for improved access to rights, focusing on four priority areas significant for the position of IDPs (participation, national policy and legal framework, relevant data and durable solutions).