The State Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Maja Mačužić Puzić, has made an address today on behalf of Minister Marija Obradović at the conference marking the International Women’s Day, titled “Empowered Women Changing Communities!”, organized by the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality.
Mačužić Puzić has pointed out that, when it comes to women’s participation in political life and decision-making positions, quantity was achieved for the first time ever, but that it is now necessary to show that we also possess quality. She has recalled that Serbia has a gender-responsible government today, which consists of 10 female ministers, and which, led by the Prime Minister, has achieved significant results in the past year and a half.
In making her address at the panel “Gender Equality is Born at the Local Level”, Mačužić Puzić has stated that, although there are 22 women heads of cities and municipalities today, they are rarely mentioned, as well as that they need to be empowered to expand gender equality influences on their environment.
The State Secretary has recalled that the local leaders have signed the Charter of Women’s Solidarity in March last year, after which the Network of Women Mayors and Presidents of Municipalities was formed in order to promote the ideas of unity, solidarity and mutual support in work.
As she has stated, a year after its founding, she can proudly say that the Network has achieved its goal, while the women have proven that they are the initiators and creators of change in their environments, as well as that they had the courage to endure many hardships because they inherited local self-governments with numerous problems.
Mačužić Puzić has expressed her belief that, in the future, there will be even more women at decision-making positions, which will be a strong driver of the new development of Serbia.