Serbian Ambassadors: Women's Presence in Diplomacy Important for Their Involvement in Global Processes

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia(BETAPHOTO/NENAD PETROVIC)

An increasing presence of women in diplomacy is important for their active engagement in considering and resolving important issues which Serbia encounters in the international sphere, and the role of women in diplomacy will become ever more pronounced, Serbia's ambassadors to Japan and North Macedonia, Aleksandra Kovac and Nevena Jovanovic respectively, have said.

The two women were appointed ambassadors this year.

"It is precisely the growing presence of women in diplomacy that is important for their active involvement in considering and solving important issues which Serbia encounters on the international plane, such as global security challenges (e.g. terrorism, arms) and crises (like the pandemic)," stressed Ambassador Kovac and added that the entire staff of the embassy in Japan consisted of women.

Serbian Ambassador to North Macedonia Nevena Jovanovic said that progress was noticeable. "I am confident that women's role in diplomacy will become increasingly pronounced, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already taking very positive steps in that direction," she added.

The gender perspective has been included in creating the Serbian budget since 2015, when the Law on budget system introduced gender-responsive budgeting. According to the law, gender-responsive budgeting is the addition of the principle of gender equality to the budgeting process, which entails a gender analysis of the budget and the restructuring of revenues and expenditures with the aim of improving gender equality.