Hurtić in Podgorica: We must make greater efforts to improve gender equality

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Minister of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sevlid Hurtić spoke today at the conference "Human Rights under the framework for the protection against discrimination", which is being held in Podgorica.

Hurtić participated in the conference at the invitation of the Minister of Human and Minority Rights of Montenegro, Fatmir Gjeka, and will speak at the panel "Combating Hate Speech – A Contemporary Area of Anti-Discrimination".

In his opening address, Hurtić welcomed the holding of this very important regional conference, and then, together with other panel participants, answered questions related to stereotypes and prejudices about women and men, gender perspective, and the fight against gender-based hate speech.

"My participation in this panel, among five successful women, shows my commitment to breaking stereotypes. We can often hear that women do not belong in politics, government, executive or legislative positions... I think the exact opposite and I often point this out. In the Ministry I lead, out of 110 employees, almost 70 are women. Out of ten managerial and high-ranking positions, eight are held by women. This example does not show the overall picture in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, but I must emphasize that women are in the highest positions in the Presidency, the Council of Ministers, as well as at other levels of government. The current situation obliges us to make many more efforts to improve gender equality, but the examples I have given show that society in Bosnia and Herzegovina has changed its perspective regarding the greater participation of women in higher positions in the public sector," said Hurtić.

He pointed out that today there is more and more talk and action in combating hate speech, and that this area needs to be regulated according to the highest standards, which will successfully suppress hate speech, but at the same time will not restrict freedom of speech.

The conference is organized by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights of Montenegro, within the framework of the country's chairmanship of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP). The conference brought together numerous political representatives, activists, and experts, and is attended by ministers responsible for human rights, state secretaries, as well as other representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.