While Serbia became internationally recognized as an independent nation by the Berlin Congress in 1878, it didn’t gain independence as a sovereign nation until 2006 following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, and the political union between Serbia and Montenegro. That same year the country’s current constitution was drafted, declaring “The State shall guarantee the equality of women and men and develop equal opportunities policy.” In 2010, in an effort to protect and advance the rights of women, Serbia signed the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, affirming that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace. Ana Brnabić became the first female and first openly gay Prime Minister of Serbia, when she was elected in 2017. Three years later, the Serbian government, implemented a gender quota law mandating that women make up 40 percent of electoral lists for parliamentary and local elections. According to the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment, Serbia ranks 19th out of 156 countries. Despite the country’s great progress toward gender parity over the past two decades, discrimination still exists particularly against Roma women and women with disabilities. According to a UN Women report, half of all women in Serbia have experienced domestic violence despite passing the 2017 Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence. Women are also severely under-represented across social, economic, and political life. Fortunately, feminist groups like the Autonomous Women’s Center, Reconstruction Women’s Fund, and the Roma Center for Women and Children, are advocating on behalf of marginalized communities while holding the Serbian government to account.
According to a 2019 report by Serbia’s Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Olympic Committee, only ten percent of women and 21 percent of girls participate in sport. Both entities have developed strategies to promote the benefits of sports participation and are working to provide safe and supportive spaces for girls to play. Despite these low numbers, Serbia has established itself as a consistent competitor on the international sporting stage. In 2008, 24 female athletes became the first women to represent Serbia at the Olympics and four women represented the country at the Paralympics. Borislava Perić became the first woman from Serbia to win a Paralympic medal when she brought home the silver in table tennis at the 2008 Beijing Games. Four years later, at the 2012 London Games, Ivana Maksimović won silver in shooting and Milica Mandić won gold in taekwondo to become the first women to win Olympic medals. The national basketball team are two-time winners of the European Championship (2015, 2021), and were bronze medal winners at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The national volleyball team has won three European Championships (2011, 2017, 2019), and brought home the silver medal at the 2016 Games.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Serbia:
Maja Ciganovic
Nina Kolundzija
How does Serbia compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
38%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
19%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
Ana Brnabić, 2017 - Present
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Snežana Samardžić-Marković, 2007 - 2012
Verica Kalanović, 2012 - 2012
Alisa Marić, 2012 - 2013
Title IX Timeline
1878
The principality of Serbia became internationally recognized as an independent nation by the Berlin Congress.
1945
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
2001
Serbia acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
2003
Serbia ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2006
Serbia gained independence as a sovereign nation in May with the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
2008
Twenty-four female athletes became the first women to represent Serbia at the Olympics and four female athletes became the first women to represent Serbia in the Paralympics. Borislava Perić became the first woman from Serbia to win a Paralympic medal (silver- table tennis).
2010
Serbia signed the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, affirming that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace.
2012
Ivana Maksimović (silver- shooting) and Milica Mandić (gold- taekwondo) became the first Serbian women to win Olympic medals.
2017
Ana Brnabić became the first female Prime Minister of Serbia.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
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0
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
0
-
24
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89
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44
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
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0
-
0
-
0
-
0
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4
-
7
-
9
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
2008
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
2020
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
Milica Mandić: 2012, Taekwondo (Gold) Ivana Maksimović: 2012, Shooting (Sliver)
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
2008
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
As of 2020, women's participation was still less than men's.
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
Borislava Perić: 2008, Table Tennis (Silver)
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
2006
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
For More Information
FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
2007
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
FIBA’s Her World, Her Rules project and social media campaign aims to promote women’s and girls’ participation in basketball throughout Europe.
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
For More Information
LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Major Regional Or Country Sport Initiatives
Serbia’s Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Serbian Olympic Committee have developed strategies to promote the benefits of sports participation and are working to provide safe and supportive spaces for girls to play.
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
