Serbia (Oct 2019)

1 - WILLINGNESS TO APPLY THE CRPD.
Do you feel that the political and administrative authorities of your country are strongly committed to/involved in fully implementing the CRPD?

Serbia has ratified the CRPD and addition protocol on 2009. it did not immediately take any concrete steps to apply it. It seems that implementation UNCRPD for the Serbian government is not high on its list of priorities.

2 - FOCAL POINTS.
Have the focal points (i.e. points of contact) provided for in article 33-1 of the CRPD been designated in your country?

Unfortunately so far not yet.

3 - ROLE.

What is, or will be, their role?

Their role will be to advise the Government when drafting legislation or regulations, policies or action plans, and to assess their impact on people with disabilities. The focal points will be tasked with developing these diagnostic sheets. They would need to represent civil society's points of contact for any questions regarding disability within the government administration. However, first of all, they have to be appointed.

4 - COORDINATION OF ACTIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CRDP AND FOCAL POINTS.
How are the focal points and the actions for the CRPD's implementation coordinated?

They don't exist yet

5 - PROMOTION OF THE CRPD.
How does your country go about promoting the CRPD

There is no plan nor types of structure for promoting the CRPD.

Only the associations of people with disabilities themselves that endeavour to promote the CRPD among their members by organising conferences, distributing brochures or articles, and through regular contacts with trade union organisations and professional organisations which may be concerned by the Convention more or less directly.

6 - PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS INCLUDED IN THE CRPD.
Which national authority is responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of the rights included in the CRPD?

In Serbia, the CRPD can be called upon at any trial before the judicial or administrative courts and tribunals. However, so far there have been no cases involving the CRPD.

7 - MONITORING OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CRPD.
In your country, which authority is in charge of monitoring the implementation of the CRPD?

In Serbia, no committee for monitoring the implementation of the CRPD exists.

8 - ROLE OF ASSOCIATIONS OF BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS. How are the associations of blind or visually impaired persons involved in the implementation of the CRPD?

In Serbia, since 1946. there is only one blind association for the welfare of the blind and partially sighted, named “Union of the blind of the Serbia”. Currently within Union of the blind of the Serbia there are 44 local blind associations. Since 2009, Serbian blind association several times organized round tables on UNCRPD topics. Also wrote many times to ministry for social politic and other ministries, regarding implementation of the UNCRPD.

9 - ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
Have any additional resources (human or financial) been been made available for the implementation of the CRPD?

The Serbian State has not released any financial resources for the implementation of the CRPD.

About additional financial resources for the implementation of the CRPD, the Serbian state currently has no intention to consider this.

10 - CRPD IMPLEMENTATION MONITORING REPORT.
Depending on the date on which your country ratified the CRPD, is it required to submit a report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities? If it is, has it done so?

Serbia submitted its report at the end of 2011.

11 - SHADOW REPORT.
Have the associations of persons with disabilities presented the so-called shadow report?

In September 2011. report was made by the government of the Republic of Serbia on the implementation of the Convention and as well as the shadow report by representatives of civil of society. Among them has participated the National Organization of Persons with Disabilities of Serbia, I have participated as a representative of the Union of the Blind of Serbia. Meanwhile large parts of the legislation are harmonised  with UNCRPD, but the implementation of these laws is extremely unsatisfactory.

12 - COMMENTS.

Do you have any comments on the implementation of the CRPD in your country?

Serbia and its government, courts and other authorities do not give sufficient importance to the CRPD, which is not considered as a text whose scope prevails over Serbian laws.

Update and Additional research notes 2019: (Sarah Woodin)

The CRPD committee notes (2016) that there is no Co-ordination Mechanism or Independent Mechanism. There are some relevant organisation, such as the Office for Human and Minority Rights, which is responsible for monitoring compliance of national regulations with international treaties and for initiating amendments. The Office also prepares reports on the CRPD.

The Council for Persons with Disabilities includes five representatives of persons with disabilities, who are selected on the basis of the type of their impairment.

There is an Ombudsman to whom complaints may be made.

The CRPD committee noted in 2016 that there is not an effective mechanism for involving disabled people.