The Ecumenical humanitarian organization and the City of Kragujevac presented the Anti-Discrimination Code, intended for civil servants as an aid in their work, with the aim of protecting human rights, preventing and fighting discrimination, on October 14, 2022 in Kragujevac.

The code was created as a result of the project "Social inclusion of Roma and other vulnerable groups in Serbia 2019 - 2022", which is, with the support of the Swiss organization HEKS/EPER, implemented by the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization from Novi Sad in partnership with 11 local governments in Serbia. The Model Code, based on the provisions of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination in the Republic of Serbia, was submitted to all partner local governments in order for them to adapt to local legal frameworks, adopt and use in their work.

The city of Kragujevac is the first local self-government in Serbia to adopt this important instrument in the promotion of human rights. By adopting the Anti-Discrimination Code, Kragujevac became the first local self-government unit in Serbia and an example of good practice in the fight against discrimination, which, it is expected, will be followed by other local self-governments.

The goal of the Code is to prevent and fight against attitudes and behavior that potentially lead to discriminatory behavior. It will enable a better and better exchange of information, especially among employees and managers in public institutions, articulating proper behavior and responsibility, thereby strengthening mutual respect, sensitivity to differences and inclusion of socially vulnerable fellow citizens.

The implementation of the project is supported by HEKS/EPER, Switzerland.