According to the Constitution and the Law, the Protector of Citizens is an independent body that protects the rights of citizens and controls the work of government agencies.

The Protector of Citizens ensures that human and minority freedoms and rights are protected and promoted. Only six authorities are exempted from his control: National Assembly, President of Republic, Government of Serbia, Constitutional Court, courts and public prosecution’s offices. The Protector of Citizens employs both individual complaint-handling and systemic approaches in his work.The Protector of Citizens is the body authorized for legal protection of property rights and interests of the Republic of Serbia and other bodies and organizations, enterprises and institutions which have been delegated public authority (hereinafter: administrative authorities).

Since the establishment in 2007, more than 124.000 citizens have approached the Protector of Citizens. Citizens filed over 42.000 individual complaints to him, out of which more than 40.000 have been resolved. Majority of complaints relates to the principles of good governance and economic and social rights. Тhe Protector of Citizens has launched almost 10.000 investigations (based on complaints or his own initiative) since 2007 and has determined more than 6.000 deficiencies (omissions) in the work of administrative authorities. Around 90% of his recommendations have been implemented.

The Protector of Citizens also has the right of legislative initiatives and the power to initiate proceedings before the Constitutional Court for the assessment of constitutionality and legality of laws, other regulations and general acts.

The Protector of Citizens pays special attention to the protection of rights of persons deprived of their liberty, gender equality, children’s rights, rights of national minorities and rights of persons with disability. For these special areas, four Deputy Protectors of Citizens are elected in the National Assembly, upon the proposal by the Protector of Citizens. Since 2011, the Protector of Citizens has been designated as National Preventive Mechanism against Torture (NPM).