My name is Ljupka Mandić Kelijašević (41) from Novi Sad, where I live and work. I am a sociologist and an activist with more than 15 years of experience working with vulnerable social categories in the social welfare sector. I hold a PhD in Sociology from the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, where I research the position of the Roma population in the field of migration. A special area of my activism and research interest is vulnerable groups and the gender perspective in the migration process. With the informal group Social Hub, I started implementing a support program for these categories, with a current emphasis on supporting women from Ukraine in the local community. The goal of this group’s activities is to integrate other categories of migrants into the local community, improve their position, and raise awareness of the wider community through activities aimed at preventing trafficking, gender-based violence, mental health issues, and cultural integration. By participating in the HRL Program, I want to improve my knowledge and skills in public advocacy, communication, and human rights leadership, as well as to enhance the strategic operations of the Social Hub group.
