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On November 14, 2024, the Red Cross of Serbia hosted a conference to mark the launch of the project “Strengthening Health, Access, Participation, and Social Equity in Western Balkan Countries (SHAPE).” The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care, and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Austria. It aims to improve the status of at-risk groups, mainly the homeless and older individuals, with a specific emphasis on older women and persons with disabilities.

The SeConS Development Initiative Group continues a series of training sessions in September titled “Technology Transfers in Agriculture for the Promotion of Gender Equality.” These sessions are intended for the network of advisers at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management and aim to enhance the capacity for the provision of gender-responsive services. Participants from all advisory services will gain practical knowledge on identifying variations in farm owners’ requirements and adjusting the work and training they offer to male and female farmers in rural areas.

A four-year project entitled “She Knows”, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Impact Hub Belgrade in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Serbia), the Center for Development of Jablanica and Pčinja Districts (CRJPO), and Erste Bank, was officially launched in Belgrade on June 20. The aim of this project is to enhance women’s economic inclusion by improving employment, self-employment, and business opportunities while reducing barriers and gender biases in the workplace.

The European Anti-Poverty Network Serbia, in collaboration with the “Journalism-prize goes international” initiative and with the support of the ERSTE Foundation, granted the National Award “REFLEKSIJA” for exemplary reporting on poverty and social exclusion throughout 2023-2024.  During the Award Ceremony, Smiljana Milinkov, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, delivered a presentation on the Analysis of Media Reporting on Poverty and Social Exclusion. Milica Stević, a researcher from the SeConS Development Initiative Group, presented the Poverty Watch report for the year 2023.

The “Journalism-Prize Goes International” project, which has been implemented since 2016 with the support of the ERSTA Foundation, was the subject of a two-day international meeting of partners in Zagreb in May. As a representative of the European Anti-Poverty Network Serbia, Milica Stević, a researcher from the SeConS Development Group, attended the meeting.

The launching event of the project “Prevent bullying and peer violence in schools”, took place in Belgrade on 28 May 2024. This project is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by Germany. It is implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Republic of Serbia from January 2024 to December 2025.

The award for decent reporting on poverty and social exclusion is given for journalistic works and media photographs that address the issue of poverty and social exclusion in Serbia, and have been published in print, electronic, or online media of national, regional, and local significance. The aim of the Award for Decent Reporting is to promote dignified and non-sensationalist reporting on poverty, which portrays various aspects and forms of poverty, with respect for representing individuals living in poverty and involves a deeper observation of the phenomenon of poverty and its patterns.

The final conference of the project “Strengthening resilience of older persons and persons with disabilities during COVID-19 and future disasters” was held in the Palace of Serbia. The conference was organized as the final event of the project coordinated by the Red Cross of Serbia since November 2020, with the support of the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency.

At the discussion forum entitled “Empowerment of women workers in assistant jobs”, the findings of a rapid assessment of the “Position and challenges of women workers in cleaning and care services in Serbia” were presented by Jovana Čvorić, a researcher with the SeConS Development Initiative Group. The forum was organized by ASTRA – Anti-Trafficking Action organization and the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Southeast Europe Foundation.

The Global Compact Network Serbia members convened for their first meeting in 2024 to discuss the Network’s strategic goals and upcoming activities. A portion of the meeting was also devoted to deliberating on the similarities and differences between the ESG concept and the Sustainable Development Goals, and the significance of their integration in the pursuit of sustainable development. This was also an opportunity to learn more about the new members and the sustainable practices they follow.