Autonomous Women’s Center

Established in 1993 in Belgrade, Autonomni ženski centar (Autonomous Women’s Center or the Center) is a women’s rights organisation assisting women survivors of violence and advocating for prevention of gender-based violence in Serbia. Initially set up as a safe space for women survivors of rape in war-torn former Yugoslavia, the Center has been advocating for an effective national legislative framework to prevent and combat gender-based violence in the past two decades. The organisation provides specialised services, research and policy analysis, advocacy and monitoring of current legislation, educational programmes on prevention directed at youth and teachers, and international and regional networking. The Center’s prevention programme tackles rigid gender roles, sexuality education, and intimate partner violence amongst youth. The Center has also incubated several feminist initiatives led by women from marginalised communities from Belgrade