/August 11.2020./ The data of the licensed SOS Helpline of Human Rights Committee Vranje during the state of emergency are part of the Gender Analysis of Responses to COVID 19 in the Republic of Serbia, published by the OSCE Mission to Serbia. This analysis also refers to the proposal that the Human Rights Committee Vranje, together with the Association of Roma Women from Nis – OSVIT, on April 18, 2020, sent to the Government of Serbia – that the Decree on Measures during a state of emergency (Official Gazette of RS), No. 31/2020, 36/2020, 38/2020, 39/2020, 43/2020, 47/2020, 49/2020, 53/2020, 56/2020, 57/2020, 58/2020 and 60/20) , in the part related to the ban on movement, add a provision that would allow women and girls in situations of acute domestic violence and partnerships to leave the apartment during the ban on movement (curfew), and that, no matter how those removed from their place of residence will not be penalized for violating the restraining order. It was proposed to the government that officials and competent bodies send a clear message to victims of violence through their statements that the measure of restraint does not apply to victims of violence, who can leave home and ask for help, which will also prevent perpetrators of violence.
The analysis points out that the required amendment to the Regulation on measures during the state of emergency has not been reached, and that since the beginning of the state of emergency, women’s organizations have pointed out the particularly difficult and insecure position of women in situations of violence. Although this topic was on the agenda of the institutions (Coordination Body for Gender Equality, Ministry of Interior), additional and adapted solutions for safe reporting of violence in restricted movement measures were not created.
The Human Rights Committee Vranje requested, during the state of emergency, approval for the movement of its members due to the implementation of the licensed service SOS Helpline for Women of Violence – national SOS helpline for women with experience of violence, continuously 24 hours / 7 days a week, extended work dark which was support to SOS consultants during the state of emergency in Serbia, due to support to service users depending on the acute reported violence, depending on the time of reporting domestic-partner violence-and during curfew. Without any explanation, the movement permit was not approved by the Ministry of Interior.
The OSCE Mission to Serbia published a Gender Analysis of the Response to COVID 19 in the Republic of Serbia, which included: the legal framework for epidemic management and the declaration of a state of emergency; considering the position of vulnerable groups and the measures that were adopted, as a social protection service that was available, that was missing and the consequences that the changes had on women and men; the position of women exposed to gender-based and domestic violence and the forms of protection available to them; the economic consequences of the state of emergency and the epidemic, as well as the economic measures that have been adopted or announced; informing citizens from the point of view of the availability of information, the position of journalists and media freedom and the representation of gender stereotypes in the media. The measures that were adopted were considered from the point of view of possible effects on gender equality, from gender-negative to gender-transformative measures.
You can view the gender analysis of the response to COVID 19 in Serbia at the following link:
https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/9/0/459382.pdf
(second part of the Gender Analysis of Responses to COVID 19 in the Republic of Serbia – PART TWO: STATE MEASURES AND LIFES OF EMERGENCY WOMEN, item 12. Women with experience of domestic violence and partnerships, starting from page 104, can be seen data that speak on the Human Rights Committee Vranje and the SOS Helpline Vranje).