2022-11-25
| Niš

Debate in Niš: Availability of Social Services in the Local Community

The Policies Beneficial to All - Improving Monitoring of the Impact of Economic Policies on Society project

On 25 November 2022, the Center for Democracy Foundation organised the following debate in Niš: Availability of Social Services in the Local Community.

Partaking in the discussion were: Dragana Rodić, Remove the Barriers; Osman Balić, Liga Roma (Standing Conference of the Roma Associations of the Citizens) in Serbia; Miodrag Stanković, City Councillor of the Niš, My City! Coalition; Nataša Vučković, Center for Democracy Foundation, and others.

During the debate, the importance of asking the general public about issues which have a direct impact on it was stressed. Poverty should be something we take notice of. We are all equal members of society and together we must strive toward creating social cohesion. Social inclusion is vastly important, particularly where vulnerable categories of the population are in question. Caring for those who require aid the most at this time must be top priority for every local self-government. The key solution to this significant issue lies in the inclusion of all members of the community. The people must be more active in this, even if a topic does not have a direct effect on us, personally. We should still offer our voices to help those who are affected in becoming louder and more empowered within the community. We must provide a space in which vulnerable groups are represented, their voices heard, their needs presented to the decision-makers. This is how we are able to provide the right kind of protection to vulnerable groups.

The Policies Beneficial to All - Improving Monitoring of the Impact of Economic Policies on Society is a project which the Center for Democracy Foundation instigates in 2021 and 2022 with the support of the Open Society Foundation Serbia.