EU PROGRES

Prokuplje is the first of the 25 municipalities in the European Partnership with Municipalities Programme PROGRES area, the Municipal Assembly of which rendered the decision to sign the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life. The Prokuplje municipality has thus publicly bound itself to abide by the principles of subsidiarity, uniform development and human rights, as well as the principle of equality, to fight against multiple discrimination and for the equal and uniform representation of men and women in decision-making processes, the elimination of gender stereotypes, the inclusion of the gender perspective (including in its budgets) and its implementation. All municipalities in the Programme area are planning to endorse the Charter.

In cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), PROGRES has organised a presentation of the Charter to the members of the Prokuplje Municipal Gender Equality Commission, the municipal councillors and other representatives of the public and civil sectors.

PROGRES will also support the municipalities in preparing gender equality action plans, which will define the priorities, activities and funds needed for their implementation. The main role in this process in Prokuplje will be played by the Gender Equality Commission, a Municipal Assembly body established with the aim of institutionally ensuring the advancement, strengthening and affirmation of gender equality.

Gender equality departs from the idea that men and women have identical prerequisites for exercising their human rights, equal opportunities to contribute to cultural, political, economic, social and national progress and identical opportunities to enjoy all the benefits of the headway made in the community. It is precisely for these reasons that the Council of European Municipalities and Regions adopted the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life in 2006. The Charter has been signed by over 250 European local and regional administrations to date.   

PROGRES is a development programme implemented in 25 municipalities in South and South West Serbia by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) with the financial support of the European Union (14.1 million Euros), the Government of Switzerland (2.5 million Euros) and the Government of the Republic of Serbia (1.5 million Euros). The European Partnership with Municipalities Programme PROGRES has been assisting the municipalities in improving their infrastructure, the quality of the services they provide citizens and businesses, in upgrading their work in accordance with the principles of good governance and in promoting their development potentials.