Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has assessed today that women have shown the value of self-discipline, responsibility, sacrifice, solidarity and empathy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is very important in these times. The fight against COVID will not stop only with the isolation of the virus, but also with the way in which we will overcome all the consequences both economic and psychological, in a broader social context”, said Joksimović speaking at the opening of the exhibition ‘When the world stopped – they did not’, which has been organised on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
She has added that she believes the role of the women’s part of the society is immeasurable in overcoming all the effects the coronavirus leaves on the society, stressing that this in no way diminishes the role of men.
“And in no way should it be understood as some sort of confrontation or any kind of division into who is the better and more successful gender”, noted Joksimović.
According to her, the pandemic has shown how vulnerable everyone is, but it has also proven that Serbia is a resilient society.
She considers that, in this pandemic, this is largely owing to women who have contributed both at the family and personal level, as well as at the professional level, precisely by performing jobs that are crucial in these times.
Noting that there is no need to divide jobs into men’s and women’s, Joksimović has emphasised that it is a fact that women work more and have jobs in the sectors that have been vital in the fight against the coronavirus.
“I believe that, in this pandemic, women have shown how the value of self-discipline and responsibility is actually a norm for civilised behaviour is these circumstances. This pandemic requires that we all work together, join our forces, make our private and business communities stronger, and achieve results through inclusive growth, which will precisely be the way in which we will overcome the crisis”, stated the Minister.
According to her, the project ‘Key Steps towards Gender Equality’, under which today’s exhibition has been organised, is financed from EU pre-accession funds – IPA 2016, 2017 and 2018, because gender equality is a fundamental value in all EU treaties and all EU public policies.
“The EU and we in Serbia, as a candidate country and as a responsible society, through gender budgeting, through all other components of gender planning and all EU-funded programmes, we strive to help economic empowerment of women, as well as general inclusion and equal treatment of every individual in Serbia, wherever they may live and work, because it is the only way we can be resilient as a society”, said Joksimović.
Ministers Zorana Mihajlović and Gordana Čomić have also addressed the attendees, while Head of EU Delegation Sem Fabrizi and French Ambassador Jean-Louis Falconi have commended and emphasised the importance of the fact that the exhibition is opened by three women, members of the Serbian Government.
Joksimović has noted that there is no need to thank them for that, as they are not there to prove to anyone that they are committed.
“We are here because we are truly committed and sincerely believe in the goal of not only our European integration, but also much broader – the goal of our society, which is true equality that entails the inclusion of everyone and means that we must progress even further to eliminate exclusion and inequality of women in certain segments of both private and professional life”, said Joksimović.
The exhibition ‘When the world stopped – they did not’ has been opened on the occasion of the International Women’s Day at the French Institute in Belgrade with the aim of emphasising the role of women in the fight against the coronavirus.
The multimedia exhibition will be open until 22 March, showing artistic photographs of Serbian women from all walks of life who have been an example and contributed to the betterment of society during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The photographs show nurses, teachers, pharmacists, and saleswomen, while each photograph is followed by an audio story about their experience and work during the pandemic.
The exhibition has been jointly organised by UN Women, Coordination Body for Gender Equality in Serbia, Ministry of European Integration, EU Delegation to Serbia and the French Embassy in Belgrade.
Source: Tanjug
