Decent Work Country Programme for Serbia 2019-2022

This programme document is a result of strategic planning of ILO cooperation activities in Serbia for the period 2019–2022. It has been prepared in consultation with the Government of Serbia as well as the social partners with the aim of creating employment, extending social protection, guaranteeing rights at work and promoting social dialogue as key components of economic and social policies.

The Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) 2019-2022 supports the national development priorities outlined in the Economic and Social Reform Programme of Serbia and the National Strategy for Gender Equality 2016 to 2020.

Key challenges addressed by the DWCP are high youth unemployment and inactivity, generally low employment rates with a pronounced gender gap, informal employment and the risk of poverty or social exclusion. The programme will tackle challenges of the social security system and the pending labour law reform.

The programme addresses these decent work deficits by improving the governance of the labour market and through the creation of more and better jobs. Through the programme ILO also supports the EU accession negotiations of Serbia, especially on chapter 19 covering employment and social policies.