OSCE Mission of Montenegro, Human and Minority Rights Ministry, Podgorica authorities sign agreement on promoting gender equality
The Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro Ambassador, Janina Hrebickova; Minister for Human and Minority Rights, Suad Numanovic; Mayor of Capital City of Podgorica Slavoljub Stijepovic, and the President of the local parliament Djordje Suhih signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on promoting gender equality on 28 November 2014.
Numanovic presented the intensive work done by the Ministry in co-operation with the OSCE Mission and local governments in recent month, particularly in three areas: the fight against violence, the better representation of women in political and public life and economic empowerment of women.
Hrebickova stated that the implementation of principles of gender equality contributes to comprehensive security which is the central goal of OSCE activities. “The OSCE, as an organization, has committed itself to promoting and achieving equality between women and men. The current Swiss Chairmanship of the OSCE has expressed a strong commitment to the work on enhancing gender mainstreaming and the implementation of all gender-related commitments, a priority which will be continued by the Serbian Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2015,”
Stijepovic reiterated the commitments of Montenegro to be an open and democratic state and that the capital city must serve as an example. In addition, he announced the creation of the Office for Gender Equality which will be the leading body in the municipality for the implementing commitments stemming from the Memorandum of Understanding.
The OSCE Mission and the Ministry have already signed Memorandums of Understandings with 15 municipalities with the goal of establishing and strengthening mechanisms for gender equality at the local level.