Depending on the needs and priorities of the beneficiaries concerned, work in this area concentrates on support to ombudspersons’ institutions, inclusive education (addressing racism, bullying, segregation and extremism in the education system), addressing trafficking in human beings (with a focus on assistance to victims of trafficking), countering discrimination against national minorities and/or when based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Back Serbia launches major drive against discrimination- spot, report, change

Belgrade 17 August 2026
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Serbia launches major drive against discrimination- spot, report, change

Discrimination can shut doors on anyone, whether because of age, gender, origin, disability, or other traits. But starting this month, those doors are being opened wide. Across Serbia, a new awareness urges everyone to speak out, spot injustice, and take action, echoing clear messages: "Don’t stay silent. Report discrimination. Spark change."

Discrimination continues to affect many areas of life in Serbia, including workplaces, schools, housing, and public spaces. According to reports from the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, groups most affected include older women, Roma, and people with disabilities, making their stories the focus of this initiative. By exposing everyday examples of bias, the initiative aims to make the invisible visible and encourage citizens to act.

Together with the Commissioner’s office, the European Union and Council of Europe have developed three powerful one-minute videos, each highlighting the struggles faced by these groups. With real-life scenarios and dramatic shots, the initiative reminds viewers that discrimination is prohibited by law and must be reported. Representatives of the Commissioner's office deliver vital information at the end of each video, empowering people to seek help.

The initiative’s messages are impossible to miss, with 150 billboards and city light panels placed across Serbia. Public figures Zejna Murkić and Olga Odanović lend their voices to the initiative, inviting everyone to scan QR codes to learn how to submit complaints and stand up for equality.

These videos will air on RTS and on social media, closing the gap between people and the law, and sending a clear signal: Serbia will not tolerate discrimination. Spot it. Report it. Change it.

The initiative has been developed within action "Combating Discrimination and Promoting Diversity in Serbia," which is implemented under the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

actions under theme iii: combating discrimination
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in Albania    
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
  • Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
  • Quality education for all in Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in Kosovo* 
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in Montenegro 
  • Quality education for all in Montenegro 
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in Serbia 
  • Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in Serbia  
  • Quality education for all in Serbia 
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in North Macedonia 
  • Preventing and combatting human trafficking in North Macedonia 
  • Strengthening the human rights protection of migrants and victims of human trafficking in Turkey 
  • Fostering a comprehensive institutional response to violence against women and domestic violence in Turkey (the action ended in June 2021)
  • Promotion of diversity and equality in the Western Balkans 
  • Fostering women’s access to justice in Turkey 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.