Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women. Violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men. Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of equality, development and peace. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 48/104 of 20 December 1993
The Autonomous Women's Center is expressing concern about a number of louder and louder public commentaries that relativizes sexual violence, either in the form of not believing a woman who had survived it, or in terms of reducing her experience and justifying the perpetrators.
The Women Against Violence Network, Labris - Organization for Lesbian Human Rights, Reconstruction Women's Fund, ASTRA, Roma Women's Network, Woman in Black Serbia Network, Women's Network of Rasina District, Left Summit of Serbia, Lesbian Consultation and Women's Plenum for Strike call for a protest march on March 8th in Belgrade, at Republic square at 5pm.
Within the cycle of debates and workshops aimed at combating stereotypes and gender inequalities, the French Institute in Serbia and the University of Belgrade are organizing a half-day debate with participants from Serbia and France on the topic of violence against women to be held on International Women's Day on March 8th from 15h to 19h at the premises of the French Institute.
An Android application BEZBEDNA (SAFE) is an application by which girls and women in situations of violence can send an urgent message to 4 telephone numbers preset as ‘protectors’, as well as to call police, emergency ambulance, centre for social welfare or SOS helpline.
The application "Bezbedna“ can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store and installed on cell phone. It can operate independently or be connected with Bluetooth bracelet or other Bluetooth device. The application has been developed by AWC in cooperation with students and the professor Miroslava Raspopović from the Metropoliten University. Development of the application "Bezbedna“ is a part of the regional campaign "I SIGN“, which aim is that the Republic of Serbia, party to the Council of Europe Convention on violence against women, start to implement its provisions and thus improve the protection of victims of violence.
More information about the application available in Serbian here.