At the beginning of September, the Ministry of Justice initiated a public debate process on the Draft Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Criminal Code. The draft proposed the introduction of the criminal offense of Sexual Intercourse Without Consent, which would be considered a less severe crime compared to Rape. In response, the Autonomous Women's Center organized an ad-hoc campaign against this proposal, arguing that it is unnecessary to introduce a lesser offense and that the definition of the basic form of the criminal offense of rape should be amended so that it includes any non-consensual sexual intercourse, including cases where there was no physical resistance from the victim. This is also the only way for the Serbian Criminal Code to align with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention on sexual violence, which the country ratified back in 2013.
The Autonomous Women's Center submitted its comments and proposals on the Draft Program for the Control of Small and Light Weapons, Ammunition and Explosive Substances in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2025-2030 with the accompanying Action Plan.
As part of the public hearing on the Draft of the new Law on juvenile offenders and protection of juveniles in criminal proceedings, which was held as of September 10 until October 1, 2025, the AWC submitted its comments and proposals to the Ministry of Justice, the most important of which are those concerning opposition to the provisions of the proposed new Law, which reduce the level of protection achieved by minor victims.
As part of the public debate on the draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which was held on September 10 until 1.10.2025, the AWC submitted its comments and proposals to the Ministry of Justice, among which the most important are those concerning the opposition to the proposals that collapse the achieved level of rights of victims in general as well as especially sensitive victims, the concept of prosecutorial investigation and the prosecution as a prosecuting authority, and the defendants are given greater rights in the procedure than the Prosecutors have.
As part of the public debate on the draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code, which was held on September 10 until October 1, 2025. In 2008, the AWC submitted its comments and proposals to the Ministry of Justice, the most important of which is the opposition to the introduction of a new, milder crime of rape called "sexual intercourse without consent".
The GREVIO Committee, as a supervisory body of the Council of Europe that monitors the implementation and harmonization of policies and laws with the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), has published its second, and first Thematic Report on the implementation of the Convention in Serbia.
The Autonomous Women's Center submitted its contributions and general comments related to the development of the new National Strategy for the realization of the rights of victims and witnesses of criminal acts in the Republic of Serbia. Concern was expressed about the fact that at the moment when the Ministry of Justice starts working on a new Strategy, it is simultaneously proposing Draft Laws (amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure and the new Law on Juvenile Offenders and Criminal Legal Protection of Juveniles in Criminal Procedures) which reduce the achieved rights of injured parties and witnesses.
The "Swear on the Law" campaign, created pro bono by the McCann Belgrade agency for the Autonomous Women's Center, won two prestigious Effie Awards: Silver in the Positive Change - Social Good: Brands, Non-profit, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category and Bronze in the Small Budgets - Non-profit, Products and Services category.
For the eighth year in a row, the Autonomous Women's Center is preparing a review of the implementation of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence. In 2024, 27,211 incidents of domestic violence were registered, which is 4.2% less than in the previous year. This should not be interpreted as a decrease in the incidence of domestic violence in Serbia, because no such trend can be seen. Men were the most frequent perpetrators of domestic violence (82.6%), while the majority of victims were women (71.6%). Violence in a partner relationship is the most common form of domestic violence (54%).
Civil society organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia, gathered under the Amplifying Voices platform, are joining together to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. On this day, we stand united in our commitment to ending conflict-related sexualized violence and advocating for justice, dignity, and long-overdue recognition for survivors.
