The Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), within the Social Pillar of the “SDGs for All” Platform, organized a meeting of the Thematic Expert Group “Eradication of Poverty” on March 28^th, 2023.

The purpose of the meeting was to analyze and discuss the relevant data and prepare for the upcoming advocacy initiatives of the Social Pillar relevant to SDG 1 (End poverty in all its forms everywhere):

a) Adoption of the Social Protection Strategy and Action Plan

b) Monitoring of the Regulation on energy-poor consumers

c) Adoption of the Poverty Reduction Strategy

d) Improving the socio-economic position of single parents

e) Adoption of the Energy Development Strategy of the Republic of Serbia until 2040 with projections until 2050

f) Adoption of the Just Transition Action Plan

Data on projections of absolute poverty, which particularly affects the oldest and youngest citizens of Serbia, and especially those living outside city and municipal centers, were analyzed. It was emphasized that the reforms of the two categories of social benefits – child benefit and social welfare payments – could stop the worrying trend of poverty growth. It was concluded that it is important to raise these questions in the context of just transition, and the Thematic Group will continue its work on the preparation of specific advocacy initiatives with focus on improving the protection of citizens’ social rights.

Participants in the discussion included Slavica Djukić-Dejanović (Advisor to the Prime Minister of Serbia), Ivana Gajić (Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue), Nataša Vučković (Center for Democracy Foundation), Ivona Gvozdenović (Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation), Lidija Kuzmanov (expert), Žarko Šunderić (Center for Social Policy), Lola Hasanović (Office of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality), Ljiljana Lučić (former State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs), Gordana Savić (Užice Center for Human Rights and Democracy), Damir Dizdarević (Belgrade Open School), Lidija Radulović (BFPE Foundation for a Responsible Society), Ksenija Petovar (retired professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Geography, University of Belgrade), Sarita Bradaš (CDF), Marina Savković (Metropolitan University), Milena Mićović Trajković (CDF), Nikola Stevanović (Belgrade Open School) and Ivan Kuzmanović (CDF).