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Home Newsroom News and press releases Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro addresses ‘Women’s Parliament’ as part of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign
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Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro addresses ‘Women’s Parliament’ as part of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign

29 November 2019
Maryse Daviet, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro speaking at the 11th session of Women’s Parliament as part of the international campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”, Podgorica, 29 November 2019. (Parliament of Montenegro)

“The OSCE recognizes violence against women as both a threat to individuals and a broader security concern,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Maryse Daviet, in an address on 29 November 2019 to the 11th session of the ‘Women’s Parliament’, held within Montenegro’s Parliament, as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence international campaign.

More than 100 women from Montenegro’s state institutions, members of parliament, ministers, corporate directors and NGO representatives gathered to discuss equality rights in practice as well as joint efforts to combatviolence against women. The women also discussed how to address trafficking in human beings.

Daviet recalled the OSCE-led Survey on the Well-being and Safety of Women, which showed that women of all ages and from across Montenegro have experienced either physical or psychological violence. This datais crucial for policy- and lawmakers, for citizens, law enforcement agencies among many other stakeholders, she said.

Daviet also congratulated the Gender Equality Committee for leading the process to pilot gender responsive budgeting within the agricultural budget. “This process is at the core of gender mainstreaming and the Mission remains committed to continue furthering this co-operation with the committee and the relevant ministries,” she said.

Ivan Brajović, President of the Parliament of Montenegro, said that the date, 29 November, should be a reminder that women in post-war Montenegro and the then Yugoslavia gained the right to vote, became educated and participated equally in one society. “Every day must be dedicated to fighting all kinds of violence in Montenegro. Our effort must be to make Montenegro a society that does not tolerate any kind of violence,” said Brajović.

Nada Drobnjak, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality said that this year Montenegro celebrates 150 years since the inauguration of the Girls’ Institute – a respected institution that has educated girls from Montenegro and beyond. “We also celebrate 100 years since women in Montenegro engaged in politics,” said Drobnjak and added that the current Parliament has the highest number of women: 29.63percent of MPs are women.