In 2020, Serbia made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. During the reporting period, the government increased the budget of the Labor Inspectorate and implemented online trainings for labor inspectors. Additionally, the government adopted a Strategy for Prevention and Protection of Children from Violence (2020–2023) and created a Ministry of Family Welfare and Demography, which will allow children's issues to be addressed by a single ministry rather than being split among multiple government ministries. However, children in Serbia remain subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in forced begging and commercial sexual exploitation, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also engage in dangerous tasks in street work. Serbia's laws do not treat forced child beggars as victims of child labor, and the country's social welfare centers are overburdened, which limits efforts to provide services to victims of child labor.
Children in Serbia are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in forced begging and commercial sexual exploitation, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Children also engage in dangerous tasks in street work. (4,5) Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in Serbia. Data on some of these indicators are not available from the sources used in this report.
|
Children |
Age |
Percent |
|---|---|---|
|
Working (% and population) |
5 to 14 |
18.8 (Unavailable) |
|
Attending School (%) |
5 to 14 |
97.6 |
|
Combining Work and School (%) |
7 to 14 |
20.6 |
|
Primary Completion Rate (%) |
98.7 |
Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2019, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2020. (6)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization’s analysis of statistics from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 6 (MICS 6), 2019. (7)
Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.
|
Sector/Industry |
Activity |
|---|---|
|
Agriculture |
Farming, activities unknown (5) |
|
Forestry, activities unknown (8) |
|
|
Fishing, activities unknown (8) |
|
|
Industry |
Manufacturing, activities unknown (9) |
|
Construction, activities unknown (10) |
|
|
Services |
Street work, including washing cars, collecting scrap material, vending, and begging (1,5,9,11,12) |
|
Wholesale and retail trade (8-11) |
|
|
Working in food service, information and communication, and transportation and storage (5,9,10) |
|
|
Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡ |
Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (4,5,9,10,13) |
|
Forced begging, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (4,5,9,10,13,14) |
|
|
Use in the production of pornography, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (5,10,12) |
|
|
Domestic work, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (15,16) |
|
|
Use in illicit activities, including in petty crime (4,9,12-14,17) |
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.
Children from Serbia, particularly those from Roma communities, are victims of domestic human trafficking to engage in the worst forms of child labor, including commercial sexual exploitation. (4,9,13,14) Girls, Roma children, and children from low-income families in rural communities are most vulnerable to child labor, including trafficking in persons. (1,18)
Undocumented migrants are at a significantly higher risk of human trafficking for the purposes of labor or sexual exploitation. (4) In 2020, UNHCR encountered 25,506 migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Serbia, 1,747 of whom were unaccompanied minors or children traveling with an adult who is not their parent. (19,20) Asylum seekers and grantees are allowed to access free primary and secondary education in Serbia. (1,21) In addition, Serbia has social programs to assist migrant children with access to education. (21-24)
Some Roma, Ashkali, and Balkan Egyptian children in Serbia experience challenges in obtaining birth registration, which may make school enrollment difficult and increases their vulnerability to engage in child labor. (9,25-30) The government has a program to increase the attendance of Roma children in preschool, and the law allows children to enroll in school without identity documents. However, economic hardship, ethnic discrimination, language barriers, disabilities, and placement in non-mainstream schools sometimes discourage Roma children, especially girls, from attending school. (16,25,27-29,31,32) In addition, Roma children are more likely to begin school at a later age and drop out of school more frequently than their non-Roma peers. (9,26)
Constitutional and legal protections prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the education system. (25,33,34) However, some individuals with disabilities, especially Roma children, face difficulties in accessing education due to a lack of clear, specified legal regulations and some lingering social prejudices. (25,29,30,35,36)
Serbia has ratified all key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).
|
Convention |
Ratification |
|---|---|
|
ILO C. 138, Minimum Age |
✓ |
|
ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor |
✓ |
|
UN CRC |
✓ |
|
UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict |
✓ |
|
UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography |
✓ |
|
Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons |
✓ |
The government’s laws and regulations are in line with relevant international standards (Table 4).
|
Standard |
Meets International Standards |
Age |
Legislation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimum Age for Work |
Yes |
15 |
Article 24 of the Labor Law; Article 66 of the Constitution (33,37) |
|
Minimum Age for Hazardous Work |
Yes |
18 |
Article 25 of the Labor Law; Article 66 of the Constitution (33,37) |
|
Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children |
Yes |
Articles 25, 84, and 87–88 of the Labor Law; Regulation on Hazardous Labor of Children (37,38) |
|
|
Prohibition of Forced Labor |
Yes |
Article 390 of the Criminal Code; Article 26 of the Constitution (33,39) |
|
|
Prohibition of Child Trafficking |
Yes |
Article 388 of the Criminal Code; Article 26 of the Constitution (33,39) |
|
|
Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children |
No |
Articles 112 and 183–185 of the Criminal Code (39) |
|
|
Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities |
No |
Article 388 of the Criminal Code (39) |
|
|
Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment |
Yes |
18 |
Article 39 of the Law on the Army (40) |
|
Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military |
N/A* |
Article 4 of the Law on Military, Labor, and Material Obligation (41) |
|
|
Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups |
Yes |
Article 4 of the Law on the Ratification of the Optional Protocol Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (42) |
|
|
Compulsory Education Age |
Yes |
15‡ |
Article 71 of the Constitution; Articles 94 and 98 of the Law on the Foundations of the Education System (33,43) |
|
Free Public Education |
Yes |
Article 71 of the Constitution; Article 91 of the Law on the Foundations of the Education System (33,43) |
* No conscription (41)
‡ Age calculated based on available information (33,42)
Serbia's law does not treat child beggars as victims, but rather as perpetrators and offenders. (5,44) In addition, Serbian law does not criminally prohibit use of a child in illicit activities except when it results from human trafficking. (39) Serbia’s law does not sufficiently prohibit commercial sexual exploitation, as the use of children in prostitution is not explicitly prohibited. Additionally, the Serbian Criminal Code’s provisions concerning pimping, procuring and mediation in prostitution only refer to “minors,” defined as “a person over fourteen years of age but who has not attained eighteen years of age.” (39)
The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.
|
Organization/Agency |
Role |
|---|---|
|
Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran, and Social Affairs (MOLEVSA) |
Through the Labor Inspectorate, inspects businesses, including unregistered businesses. Per mandate established by the Special Protocol of Labor Inspection for Protecting Children Against Child Labor, receives and investigates child labor complaints and informs Centers for Social Work of child labor violations. (5,9) Has internal sub-units that focus on the protection of children with disabilities and children working on the street. (5) Through the Center for Human Trafficking Victims’ Protection (CPTV), MOLEVSA identifies victims of child trafficking and those at risk, conducts needs assessments, contributes to trafficking research projects, and refers victims to social services. (17) CPTV is divided into two parts: the Agency for Coordination of Protection of Trafficking Victims and the new Urgent Reception Center, which temporarily closed in September 2020. (13,15,25) In addition, CPTV works with state institutions, international organizations, and NGOs on human trafficking prevention and protection efforts and activities. (25) In 2020, CPTV identified 42 victims of human trafficking, including 21 minors. (5) |
|
Ministry of the Interior (MOI) |
Oversees the General Police Directorate and enforces laws prohibiting commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking through the Criminal Police Department. (14,17) Informs the Centers for Social Work of any child labor violations found. (5,15) |
|
Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office |
Leads investigations on human trafficking cases and exchanges information through a network of 27 local prosecutors and NGOs. Provides financial support to CPTV. (5) |
|
Parliamentary Committee on Children |
Reviews draft legislation and monitors the implementation of laws pertinent to children’s rights. (5) |
|
Deputy Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, Office of the Protector of Citizens |
Monitors and conducts research on the situation of children’s rights in Serbia. Produces reports on child begging, promotes inclusive education and legal prohibition of corporal punishment, and manages draft laws on children’s rights for parliamentary approval. (5) |
Social Welfare Centers (SWCs) provide social services, track the number of street children, and receive labor violations from the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran, and Social Affairs (MOLEVSA) and the Ministry of the Interior. According to MOLEVSA, the SWCs are significantly overburdened. (5,9)
Labor Law Enforcement
In 2020, labor law enforcement agencies in Serbia took actions to combat child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the operations of MOLEVSA that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including labor inspector training.
|
Overview of Labor Law Enforcement |
2019 |
2020 |
|---|---|---|
|
Labor Inspectorate Funding |
$3,453,170 (5) |
$3,910,898 (16) |
|
Number of Labor Inspectors |
236 (45) |
217 (16) |
|
Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties |
Yes (5) |
Yes (37) |
|
Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors |
N/A (5) |
Yes (20) |
|
Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor |
Yes (5) |
No (16) |
|
Refresher Courses Provided |
Yes (5) |
Yes (16) |
|
Number of Labor Inspections Conducted |
77,806 (45) |
62,475 (16) |
|
Number Conducted at Worksite |
77,806 (45) |
62,427 (20) |
|
Number of Child Labor Violations Found |
33 (45) |
20 (16) |
|
Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed |
20 (5) |
10 (16) |
|
Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected |
Unknown (5) |
Unknown |
|
Routine Inspections Conducted |
Yes (5) |
Yes (16) |
|
Routine Inspections Targeted |
Yes (5) |
Yes (20) |
|
Unannounced Inspections Permitted |
Yes (5) |
Yes (37) |
|
Unannounced Inspections Conducted |
Yes (5) |
Yes (16) |
|
Complaint Mechanism Exists |
Yes (5) |
Yes (16) |
|
Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services |
Yes (5) |
Yes (16) |
Labor inspectors are responsible for inspecting registered and unregistered businesses, including businesses in the agricultural sector. (9) The Labor Inspectorate uses a work plan for inspections that is drafted at the beginning of each year and targets high-risk sectors in which child labor is known to occur, such as agriculture and construction. (9,46) In addition, the Special Protocol of Labor Inspection for Protecting Children Against Child Labor requires labor inspectors to use a checklist to identify child labor during inspections and mandates that police and labor inspectors inform SWCs in cases of child labor. (9,10,47)
In 2020, the Labor Inspectorate identified 20 child labor violations, 1 of which involved an individual under age 15. (16)
The Labor Inspectorate has designated experts on child labor at each of its branches to provide training to other inspectors. (16) However, new labor inspectors do not receive formal training but are trained instead on-the-job by working alongside seasoned inspectors. According to the ILO, this informal training may be inadequate without also including formal training. (5)
During the reporting period, the government implemented the 2020 budget which included authorization to hire 40 new inspectors. (16)
Criminal Law Enforcement
In 2020, criminal law enforcement agencies in Serbia took actions to combat child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the criminal enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including financial resource allocation.
|
Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement |
2019 |
2020 |
|---|---|---|
|
Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators |
Unknown |
No (16) |
|
Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor |
No (5) |
No (16) |
|
Refresher Courses Provided |
No (5) |
No (16) |
|
Number of Investigations |
30 (45) |
27 (20) |
|
Number of Violations Found |
26 (45) |
22 (20) |
|
Number of Prosecutions Initiated |
15 (45) |
33 (20) |
|
Number of Convictions |
5 (45) |
22 (20) |
|
Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor |
Yes (45) |
Yes (20) |
|
Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services |
Yes (5) |
Yes (16) |
Training on identifying human trafficking is provided as a part of the general police curriculum given to law enforcement officials who process immigration cases. (48) Continuous training on identifying human trafficking is also provided to 1 public prosecutor in each of the 25 Higher Public Prosecutor's Offices. However, sources indicated that some agencies responsible for investigation of trafficking in persons cases lack funding. (5)
The SWCs, the primary provider of social services to human trafficking victims, assist with child trafficking cases. (17)
The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including efficacy in accomplishing mandates.
|
Coordinating Body |
Role & Description |
|---|---|
|
Council for Children’s Rights |
Coordinates government efforts to address child labor by monitoring and evaluating government activities, and includes representatives from international organizations and government ministries, such as MOLEVSA. (16) The Council was active and held meetings in 2020 to develop action plans and strategies related to children's rights. (20) |
|
National Council for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings |
Sets government policies on trafficking in persons, chaired by MOI. Drafts updated annual standard operating procedures for CPTV. (5) The National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons acts as the Secretary of the Council and manages the work of the implementation team. (17) During the reporting period, the Special Working Group for the implementation of the Strategy for Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking held four meetings and prepared one semi-annual report. (16,49) |
|
Refugee Protection Working Group |
Serves as the main mechanism for coordinating non-food related services to refugees, including children, and shares information on protection of refugees. Co-chaired by UNHCR and the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration with the participation of NGOs, local governments, and international organizations. (24) The group met on a monthly basis during the reporting period. (16) |
The position of National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons continues to experience constraints on time and financial resources. (20,25)
The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including mainstreaming child labor issues into relevant Roma policies.
|
Policy |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Roadmap for Eliminating Abuse of Child Labor in Serbia (2018–2022) |
Creates a roadmap for eliminating the worst forms of child labor. Focuses on the prevention and elimination of child abuse, support for children working on the streets and vulnerable families, the creation of a system within Social Welfare Centers to monitor and record risks of child labor, and continuous development for professional workers. (50) Research was unable to determine whether activities to implement the policy were undertaken during the reporting period. |
|
Action Plan for Protection of Children from Violence (2018–2022) |
Provides improved prevention, protection, and support for children against violence. (51,52) Part of the Roadmap for Eliminating Abuse of Child Labor in Serbia. Includes enhanced interventions for the protection of children from violence, including organizational mechanisms. (51) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement the policy during the reporting period. |
|
Strategy for Preventing and Suppressing Human Trafficking and Action Plan (2017–2022) |
Creates a legislative framework, budget, benchmarks, and strategic areas in need of improvement to combat trafficking in persons. (10,53) Research was unable to determine whether activities to implement the strategy were undertaken during the reporting period. |
|
Protocol on Rules and Procedures for the Institutions and Organizations Working with Children Involved in Life and Work on the Streets of Belgrade |
Aims to enhance institutional cooperation among MOI, the Criminal Police Directorate, the Communal Police, city Social Welfare Centers, the Belgrade City Secretariat for Education, the Belgrade City Secretariat for Health, and civil society organizations. (54) Defines street children, worst forms of child labor, child work, and child trafficking. (16,54) Stipulates lead institutions, rules, and procedures for interacting with street children. The first round of training on the Protocol was funded by Save the Children. (16) Research was unable to determine whether activities to implement the protocol were undertaken during the reporting period. |
|
National Strategy for Roma Inclusion (2016–2025) |
Seeks to include representatives from Roma communities in policy implementation and aims to improve access to education for Roma population in Serbia, including access to preschool. (55) Research was unable to determine whether activities to implement the strategy were undertaken during the reporting period. |
The Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Education worked with local police forces to educate fourth, fifth, and sixth grade children about safety and security issues, including child labor. This educational effort was turned into an online video for more widespread use around the country. (16) Child labor elimination and prevention strategies do not appear to have been integrated into the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion (2016–2025). (11)
The Strategy for Prevention and Protection of Children from Violence 2020–2023 and the National Action Plan 2020–2021 were adopted in May 2020. The Council for the Rights of the Child developed the new Strategy in conjunction with UNICEF in an effort to continue improving the status of children's rights in Serbia. (16) In addition, the government adopted the National Strategy for the Realization of the Rights of Victims and Witnesses of Criminal Offenses 2020–2025, which will establish a new comprehensive system for the protection of victims and witnesses of criminal offenses in Serbia. (16)
In 2020, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor (Table 10).
|
Program |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Access to Education Programs† |
The Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care program is a World Bank, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development project that aims to improve access to early childhood education for socially disadvantaged children. (56) In 2020, the program remained active. (16) |
|
Assistance to Roma Children in Education |
A World Bank, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development project that aims to improve access to early childhood education for socially disadvantaged children. (56) In 2020, the program was active, though limited by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (16) |
|
Belgrade Children's Shelter† |
A social welfare institution funded by the City of Belgrade; opened in 2019. (5) Caters to vulnerable children ages 7 to 18. Provides accommodation services and daytime shelter services to meet the needs of young people and street children, who are subsequently referred to competent social work centers and judicial authorities. (5) During the reporting period, both the day shelter and overnight shelter were in use, though the total number of beneficiaries was significantly lower in 2020 compared to previous years due to the pandemic. (20) |
|
Strengthening the Identification and Protection of Victims of Trafficking† |
An IOM, CPTV, and MOI project that contributes to the implementation of the National Anti-Trafficking Strategy by improving mechanisms for the prevention and identification of victims of human trafficking. (26) In 2018, MOI, MOLEVSA, and the Public Prosecution Office signed a Memorandum on Cooperation in the Field of Suppression of Human Trafficking and the Rights Protection of Human Trafficking Victims. (9,57) The Memorandum defines mutual rights in the identification of human trafficking, assistance and protection of victims, and statistical reporting. (13,57) In July 2020, the government adopted the National Strategy on the Rights of Victims and Witnesses of Crime in the Republic of Serbia 2019–2025 and its associated Action Plan for 2020–2022. The strategy aims to establish a new, comprehensive system of protection and promotion of the rights of victims and witnesses of crime in Serbia. (20) |
|
Measurement, Awareness-Raising, and Policy Engagement (MAP16) Project on Child Labor and Forced Labor |
The government collaborates with the ILO to implement the USDOL-funded MAP16 project in Serbia. Specific goals of the program include improving application of knowledge in support of efforts to eliminate child labor; strengthening the policy-making process; improving the capacity of the government, national authorities, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and other relevant entities to combat child labor; and strengthening partnerships to accelerate progress in combatting child labor. (16,58) In Serbia, the project aims to build the capacity of the government and other stakeholders to address child labor in part by providing support for the country's first National Child Labor Survey, which was developed and tested during 2020. (58) Additional information is available on the USDOL website. |
† Program is funded by the Government of Serbia.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (9,13,59)
The Government of Serbia has implemented programs on child labor and inclusive education. (60)
Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Serbia (Table 11).
|
Area |
Suggested Action |
Year(s) Suggested |
|---|---|---|
|
Legal Framework |
Ensure that the law does not treat child beggars as criminals. |
2017 – 2020 |
|
Ensure that the law criminally prohibits the use of children in illicit activities, including in the production and trafficking of drugs. |
2019 – 2020 |
|
|
Ensure that the use, procuring, and offering of children for prostitution are criminally prohibited. |
2020 |
|
|
Enforcement |
Ensure that staff members at the Social Welfare Centers have sufficient resources, such as personnel and funding, to address the specific needs of child trafficking victims. |
2015 – 2020 |
|
Train new labor inspectors on child labor. |
2015 – 2020 |
|
|
Ensure that criminal investigators and agencies combating trafficking in persons have the necessary funding to conduct thorough investigations. |
2010 – 2020 |
|
|
Coordination |
Ensure that the National Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Persons has a level of financial support that facilitates efforts to eliminate child labor. |
2015 – 2020 |
|
Government Policies |
Integrate child labor elimination and prevention strategies into the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion. |
2017 – 2020 |
|
|
Publish information on key policies undertaken to combat child labor. |
2020 |
|
Social Programs |
Address barriers to education, including access to birth registration documentation; increase access to education for children with disabilities; and increase access and retention rates for minority populations, particularly migrant and Roma children. |
2013 – 2020 |
|
|
Conduct research to determine the activities carried out by children engaged in child labor, including those in farming. |
2020 |
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. January 13, 2017.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. February 13, 2017.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2017: Serbia. Washington, DC, June 27, 2017.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2017-trafficking-in-persons-report/serbia/ - U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2019: Serbia. Washington, DC, June 20, 2019.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-trafficking-in-persons-report/serbia/ - U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. January 15, 2020.
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 3, 2021. For more information, please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report. http://data.uis.unesco.org/
- ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 6 (MICS 6), 2019. Analysis received March 2021. Please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
- Government of Serbia. Labor Force Survey 2016. 2017. http://www.ilo.org/surveydata/index.php/catalog/1860
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. January 28, 2019.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. January 8, 2018.
- ILO-IPEC Geneva official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. April 10, 2018.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. January 15, 2016.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. March 1, 2019.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. February 8, 2018.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. February 13, 2020.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. January 29, 2021.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. February 1, 2016.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2018: Serbia. Washington, DC, June 28, 2018.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-trafficking-in-persons-report/serbia/ - UNHCR. Serbia Update: December 2019. January 16, 2020.
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/download/73432 - U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. May 19, 2021.
- ILO-IPEC Geneva official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. October 2017.
- U.S. Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights- 2019: Serbia. Washington, DC, 2019.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/serbia/ - U.S. Embassy- Belgrade official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. May 31, 2017.
- UNHCR. Serbia: Inter-Agency Operational Update. October 2016. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. February 14, 2019.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. June 12, 2018.
- UNHCR. Serbia may eradicate statelessness within a few years. Belgrade. November 2, 2018.
http://www.unhcr.rs/en/dokumenti/saopstenja-za-medije/srbija-moze-iskoreniti-apatridiju-u-roku-od-nekoliko-godina.html - UNHCR. Quantitative Snapshot of the UNHCR Serbia 2018 Programme. January 8, 2019.
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/download/67961 - Human Rights Watch. World Report 2017: Serbia. 2017.
https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/world_report_download/wr2017-web.pdf - U.S. Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices- 2018: Serbia. Washington, DC. March 14, 2019. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SERBIA-2018-HUMAN-RIGHTS-REPORT.pdf
- UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Fourth periodic report submitted by Serbia under article 18 of the Convention, due in 2017. Periodic Reports of States Parties due in 2017: Serbia, Prepared by Government of Serbia, CEDAW/C/SRB/CO/2-3. October 18, 2017.
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared Documents/SRB/CEDAW_C_SRB_4_7321_E.pdf - UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Committee on the Rights of the Child considers the report of Serbia. January 24, 2017.
http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21115&LangID=E - Government of Serbia. Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. Enacted November 8, 2005.
http://legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/8851/preview - Human Rights Watch. "It is My Dream to Leave This Place": Children with Disabilities in Serbian institutions. HRW.org, June 8, 2016.
https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/06/08/it-my-dream-leave-place/children-disabilities-serbian-institutions - UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding observation on the combined second and third periodic reports of Serbia. March 7, 2017.
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRC/C/SRB/CO/2-3&Lang=en - UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 35 of the Convention: Concluding Observations: Serbia. May 23, 2016: Report No. CRPD/C/SRB/CO/1. http://disabilitycouncilinternational.org/documents/ConcObv/15/Serbia.pdf
- Government of Serbia. Labor Law of the Republic of Serbia. Enacted March 15, 2005.
http://www.elfak.ni.ac.rs/downloads/akta/zakon-o-radu.pdf - Government of Serbia. Regulation on Hazardous Labour of Children. May 29, 2017. Source on file.
- Government of Serbia. Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia. Enacted February 28, 2006.
http://legislationline.org/documents/section/criminal-codes - Government of Serbia. Law on the Army. Enacted December 11, 2007.
http://www.vs.rs/content/attachments/zakon_o_vojsci_srbije_sa_izmenama_i_dopunama.pdf - Government of Serbia. Law on Military, Labor and Material Obligation. Enacted December 15, 2010.
http://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_vojnoj_radnoj_i_materijalnoj_obavezi.html - Government of Serbia. Law on the Ratification of the Optional Protocol Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, Official Gazette of the FRY - International Treaties, No. 7/2002. Enacted July 2002.
http://www.ljudskaprava.gov.rs/sites/default/files/dokument_file/zakon_o_potvrdjivanju_fakultativnog_protokola_u_ucescu_dece_u_oruzanim_sukobima_uz_konvenciju_o_pravima_deteta.pdf - Government of Serbia. The Law on the Foundations of the Education System. Enacted 2002.
http://www.seio.gov.rs/upload/documents/ekspertske misije/protection_of_minorities/the_law_on_education_system.pdf - Government of Serbia. Annual Report of the Ombudsman 2016. June 2017.
http://www.ombudsman.org.rs/attachments/article/134/Introduction_2016 Annual Report.pdf - U.S. Embassy- Belgrade official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. July 1, 2020.
- Government of Serbia. Inspection Control Plan for 2019. 2018. Source on file.
- Government of Serbia. Instruction on Conduct of Labor Inspection in the Protection of Children from Child Labor. 2017. Source on file.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. July 12, 2019.
- U.S. Embassy- Belgrade. Reporting. February 16, 2021.
- Government of Serbia. Proposal Roadmap for eliminating abuse of child labor in Serbia, including the worst forms of child labor for 2018 to 2022. Belgrade. 2018.
http://www.savetzapravadeteta.gov.rs/doc/dokumenta/Mapa-puta-final-SRB.docx - Government of Serbia. Action Plan for Implementation of the Strategy for the Prevention and Protection of Children against Violence for the period of 2018 to 2020. 2018.
http://www.savetzapravadeteta.gov.rs/dokumenta.php - Government of Serbia Child Rights Council. Activities in June. June 1, 2018.
http://www.savetzapravadeteta.gov.rs/aktivnosti.php - Government of Serbia. Strategy for Preventing and Suppressing Human Trafficking and Action Plan (2017–2022). August 4, 2017.
http://mup.gov.rs/wps/wcm/connect/cd2d35c1-10a0-4dae-b17e-4a376d55057a/Strategija+i+A.P.-Trgovina+ljudima+2017.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3bD&CVID=lTGZ3b - Government of Serbia. The Protocol for Dealing with Street-Involved Children by Authorities, Institutions and Organisations in the City of Belgrade. 2017. Source on file.
- Government of Serbia. National Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2016–2025. March 3, 2016. Source on file.
- World Bank. Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care. June 15, 2017.
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/684871497562657684/pdf/ISR-Disclosable-P157117-06-15-2017-1497562650233.pdf - Government of Serbia. Protocol on cooperation on protecting victims of human trafficking. June 2018. Source on file.
- USDOL. Measurement, Awareness-Raising, and Policy Engagement (MAP16) Project on Child Labor and Forced Labor. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/measurement-awareness-raising-and-policy-engagement-map-16-project-child-labor-and
- Radio TV Vojvodina. Free textbooks for 84,348 students. May 1, 2018.
http://www.rtv.rs/sr_ci/mladi/obrazovanje/besplatni-udzbenici-za-84.348-ucenika_914430.html - U.S. Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights- 2020: Serbia. Washington, DC. 2020.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/serbia/
