A Croatian member of the European Parliament and member of its Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Biljana Borzan, has been appointed rapporteur on women's rights in Western Balkan countries, Borzan's office said in a press release on Saturday.

According to the statement, Borzan has for years called for an official position for the region and has finalised a draft resolution on that matter.

“This year the EP has responded to my request and it has been put into procedure,” she said.

In her resolution, Borzan refers to the poor situation of women on the labour market. Even though women who during their studies are more successful than their male colleagues, they are in a much poorer position in the labour market, suffer abuse and most often take over the care for children and elderly family members, she said.

“Unfortunately, violence is a burning problem in the region. There aren’t enough safe houses,” she underscored.

“We have unqualified staff dealing with the victims, a slow judiciary and what is worst, examples of unreported cases of violence,” she said.

Negotiations will commence next week and the European Parliament will vote on the resolution at its session in February 2019.

In March this year, Borzan was presented with the MEP Award or EU Oscar for 2017 in the category of women’s rights and gender equality.

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