The Red Cross of Serbia representative, Natasa Todorovic participated in the forum entitled “About us with us” – challenges in exercising human rights from the perspective of older people and the perspective of the national Protector of Citizens. The forum was organised by the Ombudsman on 9 December 2017 in Belgrade, with speakers including, in addition to Natasa Todorovic, VladanaJovic, Deputy Protector of Citizens, NadezdaSataric, President of Amity NGO and VasilijeBjelobrkovic, Deputy President of the Pensioner Association of Serbia.

The Red Cross representative reminded the participants that the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was adopted in 1948 and as we enter its 70th year, it is equally essential today as it was then. On the other hand, during all these years we came to realise that human rights are not a static institution, they are dynamic and changing – as reflected in their constant expansion. They grow and develop. Human rights are about equality but equality is not about sameness, it is about openness that allows us to recognise different ways to satisfy the needs of different groups.

We as the civil sector have spent the last decade advocating for adoption of a new Convention on Human Rights of Older People that will allow us to recognise the needs of older people and to protect human rights of older women and men. The reason for this is that human rights are often invisible for older people, older people often lack sufficient information and when they pursue their rights through the existing system it is similar to being entangled in a spider web. Also lacking is the promotion of independent regulatory bodies and good practice.