Montenegrin MPs trained on gender equality

A group of Montenegrin members of parliament participated in an OSCE-organized training on gender equality that took place in the town of Bar on 19 and 20 July 2013.

The 15 participants discussed the various obstacles and challenges to increase the participation of women in political life. They were also briefed by experts from the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights on the recently adopted National Plan for Gender Equality. The MPs, together with staff of several parliamentary committees, learnt more about basic gender principles and terminology, and talked about the different international standards and best practices, as well as parliamentary mechanisms, that could improve gender equality in Montenegro.

In his opening statement, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Waldemar Figaj, said that, as the laws adopted by parliament affected both men and women, MPs needed to consider the different requirements and situations of both genders alike. He emphasized that gender equality was not a “female issue” and hoped that some of the male participants would become advocates of gender equality in parliament.

Nada Drobnjak, the Chair of the country’s Gender Equality Committee, stressed that there should be more honest political will for including both genders in Montenegro’s political life and called for the legislation enabling this to be set in place.

The training was organized by the OSCE Mission in co-operation with the Parliamentary Committee for Gender Equality and support from OSCE/ODIHR experts.