Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector02Nov2015
Round table Youth’s Local Security Issues and Democratic Control of Security Sector in Zrenjanin
Public Policy Research Center, support by OSCE Mission to Serbia, organized round table “Youths Local Security Issues and Democratic Control of Security Sector”, on November 2nd in Zrenjanin in order to the exchange experiences with other municipalities within the project – Pozarevac and Cacak.
Miroslav Kragic, the representative of OSCE Mission to Serbia welcomed the participants in opening session. Svetlana Đurdjević Lukić, Director of Public Policy Research Center, presented the outcomes of research. Duško Radišić, the Assistant of City Mayor of Zrenjanin, Gordan Bojković, the Assistant of City Mayor of Pozarevac and Aleksandar Dačić, the Assistant of City Mayor of Cacak discussed about the key challenges and examples of good practice. Elvira Kovacs, MP, stressed her observations about the work of National Assembly of Republic of Serbia and establishment of mechanism of security sector parliamentary and democratic control.
Recommendations have been formulated at round table: involvement of competent local institutions in resolving of youths local security issues and mutual coordination, involvement of representatives of youth in the work of local committees in charge for security issues, opening of MPs offices in local communities, launching of youth local security theme within the Board for human and minority rights and gender equality of National Assembly, cooperation with Office for youth and organization of workshops on youths local security issues and prevention of various forms of violence, horizontal learning and widening of knowledge on alcohol misuse, domestic violence and gender based violence, school of parenthood for recognizing of antisocial behavior in early childhood, providing of career advising service, arranging of Rulebook on behavioral measures.
During the discussion the findings of research Assessment of youth security issues in City of Cacak were presented. The research was carried out on security issues, existing forms of violence and addiction of students in Cacak, using of free time of students, activism and awareness, compared to categories within Local Action plan for youth. Research was conducted with 300 pupils in primary schools and 400 pupils in high schools and the sample included 10,3% population of target groups. The participants in the poll have proposed opening new job opportunities and prevention of violence through education.
Youth local security issues and democratic control of security sector Project was focused on empowerment of cooperation between state administration and civil society organizations in recognizing of key challenges of youth’s local security issues. The main goal was contribution in advancing of knowledge on democratic control of security sector and communication between youth, local authorities and MPs, aiming to define of the common recommendations for enhancing the confidence of young citizens in institutions and increase the participation.
Project was realized by Public Policy Research Center and supported by OSCE Mission to Serbia, in the year of Serbian OSCE chairmanship with the youth and their role as one of priority themes.