PRIORITIES 2018

Project – “SAY NO TO THE INFORMAL WORK“

It is being implemented

The Project “Support to the Labour Inspectorate in Suppression of “Informal Work“ through Capacity Building and Public Awareness” was launched on 8 September 2017 when a Contract SRB-17-0013 was signed between the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in the Republic of Serbia. The Project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway in total amount of EUR 400.800, is aimed primarily at the media campaign emphasizing the adverse consequences of the undeclared work. The media campaign started in January 2018 and it consists of the web site, created on the address www.recineradunacrno.rs, where information can be found on the project, applicable labour legislation in the Republic of Serbia and the forms to be used to report on an employer who hires non-registered people. Publication on the internet is additionally strengthened by continuously updated pages on social networks Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. Apart from Internet, the campaign is conducted on TVs with national frequencies, by broadcasting video clips, distributing flyers and brochures. This informative aspect of the Project proved to be very successful. This can be confirmed by the enormous number of reports on the “informal work” submitted from the beginning of the campaign, whereof majority of the reports are grounded. Besides this aspect of educating the citizens on their rights, the Project is focussed on the Labour Inspectorate capacity building. Training events will be held for additional education of labour inspectors in all the 27 administrative districts in the Republic of Serbia. Procurement of tablets necessary for the execution of field inspections is foreseen.

Links for “Say no to the informal work“

Telephone line for reporting informal work already yields first results

Free telephone number for reporting informal work activated - 0800 300 307

State and citizens together in campaign "Say NO to informal work!"

Minister Đordević with third draw apartment winners of the second round of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Minister Đorđević signed the contract with apartment winner in the second round of "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Keys awarded to the first apartment winner in the second round of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Keys handed to the last draw apartment winners of the first round of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Car keys handed to winners of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Minister Đorđević handed the keys to third draw apartment winner of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Minister Đorđević handed apartment keys to the winner of the second round of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Đorđević awarded car keys to winners of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018"

Serbian Government will fight grey economy resolutely and transparently

New round of the contest "Take the receipt and win 2018" begins

Minister Đorđević visited "Tehnomarket" plant

State and citizens together in campaign "Say NO to informal work!"

Minister Đorđević presented results and priorities of the Ministry to IMF

SOCIAL CARDS

Introduction of social cards as a priority in the work of the MoLEVSA

The necessity of introducing the social cards is contained in the Keynote on the Programme of the Government of the Republic of Serbia at the National Assembly on 28 June 2017 and it is one of the priorities of the Ministry’s work.

The reasons for introduction of the social cards are contained in the Conclusion on adoption of the Action Plan for Implementation of the Government Programme, adopted on the Government session held on 9 November 2017. Introduction of social cards will contribute to fairer and more equitable exercising of the citizens’ social rights relying on their social and economic status, increase of the efficiency in the area of social policy, faster and easier exercising of the citizens’ rights and preventing potential misuse of the rights. The activities relating to the legislative framework setting and the development of the information system aimed at automatizing and supporting business processes with the authorities from the social welfare system, are ongoing in order to allow the introduction of the social cards.

According to the Action Plan, piloting of the parts of the Information system should be finalized by the end of 2019, while the entire project is to be finalized by the end of the Government mandate. Development of the social cards information system requires conducting of parallel activities on enhancement of the applications from the area of social welfare, so at the end of the process both digitalization of services, procedures, data and information within the social welfare sector and general contribution to the digitalization in the Republic of Serbia will be considerably improved. The Ministry is introducing the social cards in cooperation with the Kingdom of Norway, which is considered to be one of the most successful countries in this field.

Links for Social Cards

Minister Đorđević and Ambassador Hougård on introduction of social cards in Serbia

Minister Đorđević presented the social card project as means of financial control to Serbian Lobbyists Society

Cooperation of Serbia and Denmark in area of digitalisation and social cards

Cooperation of Serbia and Finland regarding social cards

Minister Đorđević with Nordic Ambassadors

SOS HELPLINE

Prevention of Domestic Violence – SOS HELPLINE

Our society and institutions have been devoting increased attention to domestic violence in the last few years. There have been great advances in the creation of an agenda and mechanisms for prevention of violence and protection of victims through the joint work of civil society organisations and state bodies. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted the proposed laws, and created conditions within the system for combating domestic violence more efficiently. According to media reports, domestic violence is the most prevalent form of violence in our society. There is an impression that it is constantly on the rise, and according to the data of women’s organisations, more than half of women have experienced some form of domestic or intimate partner violence. The data of the competent institutions also indicate a continued increase in reports of domestic violence cases to the police and centres for social work.

The consistent intentions of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs to resolve the problem of domestic violence can be recognised in the work of the Department for Antidiscrimination Policy and Gender Equality, and in the practical approach to actual protection of domestic violence victims, and defining violence as an unacceptable behaviour model. By adopting the 2011 Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), the Republic of Serbia took on the responsibility to undertake required legislative and other measures for establishing a non-stop free SOS helpline for the purpose of providing advice on all forms of violence included in the Convention. The advice is given to callers in a confidential manner, and with respect for their anonymity. The Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs is in charge of realising this service, according to Article 16 of the Law on Ministries (“Official Gazette of RS”, No. 44/14, 14/15, 54/15, 96/15–state law, 62/17).

The Ministry has envisioned means for concrete action – help and support for women who have experienced violence. The introduction of the National SOS Helpline would create an opportunity for each woman in the Republic of Serbia who has experienced violence to access all information necessary for her protection and rights in the fastest way possible. The calls from all landlines and mobile devices will be free of charge for the caller. The Ministry is organising a public procurement for the National SOS Helpline service, which will be open for licensed associations which already provide helpline services. The aims of this project are to provide direct assistance to women who have experienced violence, and to establish and apply mechanisms for action in line with international obligations regarding human rights in the area of sexual and gender based violence (Law on Confirmation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (“Official Gazette of RS – International Treaties”, No. 012/13)).

The expectation of the Ministry is that the introduction of the National SOS Helpline, with its clear preventive effect of informing the public, would provide direct support, empowerment and help to women who have experienced violence. The implementation of this activity will bring us closer to the European standards for solving this problem, and hopefully, to suppression of as much violence against women as possible.

Links for SOS Helpline

The MoU on the introduction of the SOS helpline for the women victims of violence signed

Minister Đorđević on the forum "Integrated response to violence against women in Serbia"

State Secretary Stana Božović on the forum "Fighting together the violence against women"

State Secretary Stana Božovic on the forum "Suppression of Violence Against Women"

CSW STRENGTHENING

Project for Strengthening of Centres for Social Work

The Project “Strengthening of Centres for Social Work on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia” was initiated by the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs towards the end of 2017, for the purpose of human resources reform on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Employees in the centres for social work will be trained using social welfare modes of the European Union member states. The project enables multiple benefits, not just for the primary target group and beneficiaries of CSW services, but for the broader social and economic status of the whole population, and Serbia’s reputation. The primary target group, that is, CSW employees will be professionally empowered, competent and organised. The quality of their services will be visibly improved, and transparent towards all beneficiaries, and Serbian citizens. Competent experts will hold adequate positions, and they will be able to address the challenges of the job in an organised fashion. CSW Strengthening with respect to employee potential means: sufficient number of employees; educated and qualified employees; safe employees; motivated employees, who perform their tasks free of stress; equipped employees, with enough physical space and instruments for work; system supported employees; employees with expertise; efficient employees; employees with good communication skills; employees with personal and professional integrity and self-confidence; employees free from occupational burnout, psychosomatic problems and leaves of absence. The knowledge, qualifications and personal work feelings of individual CWS employees will be representative of a pro-European social welfare system, modelled after social welfare systems of the European Union.

The implementation of the programme “Strengthening of Centres for Social Work on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia”brings visible benefits for CWS beneficiaries as well: resolution for all beneficiaries’ problems; expert guidance; efficient procedures for problem solving; safety of beneficiaries; beneficiaries’ satisfaction with CWS employee expertise; good communication with social institutions; options for future plans of beneficiaries; adequate physical conditions for work with beneficiaries; emotional stability and integrity of beneficiaries regarding their problems; constructive and common sense behaviour of beneficiaries. The list of problems is very broad, and all of them directly influence the social community, through actions which have a direct effect on human lives. Since the abovementioned is primarily in relation to social categories at risk, the depraved and poor, the consequence would be that of decreased frequency of pathological behaviour in the society at large. One of the indicators of a country’s development is its developed social welfare system. The programme “Strengthening of Centres for Social Work on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia” highlights the efforts Serbia is making on its road to membership in the European Union. Modern implementation mechanisms for social welfare programmes are beneficial for users and employees, both at the national and local levels. The social welfare system of the Republic of Serbia should enable the preservation of human lives, improvement of their quality, and restore faith in the future, and faith in the state as an institution.