OSCE participates at regional conference of equality bodies hosted by Montenegrin Ombudsperson
Maryse Daviet, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro participated in the opening of the fourth regional conference of equality bodies in South-Eastern Europe on 28 and 29 October 2019 in Podgorica. The conference was hosted by the Institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro.
Participants included eleven representatives of Ombudspersons and related institutions advocating the principles of equality, tolerance and non-discrimination in their respective countries. The event was also attended by all the OSCE Field Operations from the Western Balkans region.
Various issues relating to discrimination were discussed. These included: discrimination in the context of the rights of the child, ethnic and religious stereotypes and prejudices, the independence of equality bodies and their relationship with the media, as well as current challenges and examples of good practices.
Ivan Brajović, President of the Parliament, said that Montenegrin parliamentarians regularly initiate, organize and take part in regional and other international gatherings of the parliamentarians: “because we think that exchanging views, experiences and ideas is priceless”. I firmly believe that a similar need has resulted in the formation of the Southeast Europe Network of Equality Bodies and that the past three years have shown that such initiative was reasonable.”
In opening the session, Maryse Daviet, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro said that the participating States of the OSCE have committed to supporting and defending equality and human rights — and to that end have established mechanisms, agencies and institutions contributing to the achievement of equality. “Your equality bodies are a realization of those OSCE commitments. This conference is important and today is an excellent opportunity to share best practices, to further build networks amongst your organizations and to strengthen your institutional capacity to advocate for and defend equality rights,” said Daviet.
Zdenka Perović, Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms and Acting Ombudsperson of Montenegro, said that the Ombudsperson supports all the regional and broader initiatives that bring people and institutions together in order to promote equality and tolerance and contribute to strengthening the system, protecting against discrimination and promoting tolerance in all social circumstances.
Also present were Michaela Bauer, UNICEF Representative in Montenegro, Halil Duković, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights, Tena Šimonović Einwalter, EQUINET Executive Board Chair, and Blanka Radošević Marović, Director General in the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights.