SERBIA
Serbia adopted its most recent National Action Plan (NAP) in 2017 for the period 2017-2020. The previous NAP was adopted in 2010. There does not appear to have been a new NAP since the 2017-2020 NAP, nor could we find information about one in progress.
Objectives/Aims of the 2017-2020 NAP:
1. Actors, institutional bodies, and mechanisms: Improved efficiency and effectiveness of the work of all actors, institutional bodies and mechanisms envisaged for the implementation of the National Action Plan.
2. Prevention: Developed preventive mechanisms to increase the security of women in peace, conflict and post-conflict rehabilitation of society in the country and abroad.
3. Participation: Increased representation, inclusion and decision-making of women in all the processes related to the preservation of peace and security
4. Protection: Improved regulatory conditions and institutional capacities for accessible and effective protection of women.
5. Recovery: Enhanced system of support to the recovery of women who have suffered any form of threat to security in the post-conflict rehabilitation of society, crisis and emergency situations.
Commentary:
Serbia’s NAP is the second version, published in 2017 and building off of the 2010 Plan. It underwent extensive research on implementation of the 2010 plan, and the 2017 plan incorporated many of the lessons learned. Primarily, this difference can be seen in the first chapter that focuses on strengthening institutions to respond to gendered needs; this is especially true as it calls for an oversight committee and appointment of a representative on women’s needs. This plan therefore does a better job at institutionalizing the progress made in the first plan, and in mainstreaming gender into the security architecture of the Serbian government. In creating positions specifically aimed at monitoring and evaluating gender progress, this plan also opens space for greater participation of women in decision-making spaces particularly related to security and conflict. Given the conflict-related needs of Serbia and its own domestic context, this plan is well-situated to support conflict prevention both within Serbia and in the international efforts in which Serbia participates.
Civil Society’s involvement in development of the 2017-2020 NAP:
The 2017 NAP included extensive consultation with civil society prior to publication, a process that is detailed in the introduction and methods section of the plan. Although the plan is focused primarily on building government capacity, it recognizes there is existing civil society capacity that can support government, especially within educational institutions and local governance structures. This focus on more grassroots-level implementation, rather than just creating national-level policy, also provides an opportunity for deeper engagement with civil society.
UN Peacekeeping Statistics:
In 2021 Serbia contributed a total of 265 peacekeeping personnel of which only 42 (15.8% were female). In May 2023 Serbia was contributing a total of 271 personnel, of which 71 (26.2%) were female.
Women’s Role in Peacekeeping
Although there was an increase over the two years 2021-2023 in Serbia’s female personnel working on UN peacekeeping missions, it is interesting to note that women were slightly better represented among the military troops Serbia was contributing in May 2023 (14%), than they were among military observers/experts (2, both male), high ranking police (3, all male), and senior staff officers (only 1 woman out of 9 officers).
References:
Serbia-NAP-2-2017.pdf (wpsnaps.org)
https://www.wpsnaps.org/nap/serbian-national-action-plan-ii/
https://www.wpsnaps.org/app/uploads/2019/09/Serbia-NAP-2-2017.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_UN_peacekeepers_contributed 2021
United Nations Peacekeeping. (May 2023): Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping
05-Missions Detailed By Country (May 2023) – Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN Missions by Country and Personnel Type.
