Bojanić Lalović: Throughout the history of Montenegro, women have played a key role as educators

"Throughout the history of Montenegro, women have played a key role as educators, nurturers, and initiators of social and cultural change," said Democratic Party of Socialists MP Zoja Bojanić Lalović.

As announced by the Parliament of Montenegro, she said this at the Second Session of the PAM Women's Parliamentary Forum, held on January 26-28 in Abu Dhabi, hosted by the Parliament of the United Arab Emirates.

"Member of the Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), MP Zoja Bojanić – Lalović, and Deputy Member of the PAM Delegation, MP Bojana Pićan, participated in the Second Session of the PAM Women's Parliamentary Forum, held on 26–28 January in Abu Dhabi, hosted by the Parliament of the United Arab Emirates," the Assembly said in a statement.

The forum reportedly brought together more than 200 delegates from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions, as well as from Asia, Latin America and Africa, including the sub-Saharan region.

"Among the participants were representatives of national parliamentary delegations and PAM partners, parliamentary assemblies, international institutions and humanitarian organizations, as well as embassies and diplomatic missions. The forum opened with a welcoming address by the Vice President of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates and President of the PAM Women's Parliamentary Forum, Mariam Bin Tenaje (Maryam bint Theneya), who emphasized that women's empowerment is one of the key priorities of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and a necessary prerequisite for building cohesive and inclusive societies in the Mediterranean area and beyond," the statement reads.

During the Forum's opening ceremony, the President of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates, Saqr Ghobash, highlighted the UAE's long-term vision based on inclusive governance and social cohesion, emphasizing that women's empowerment is a fundamental pillar of national development, legislative progress, and the overall resilience of society.

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Giulio Centemero, welcomed the participants, emphasizing that women's empowerment is essential for achieving sustainable peace, prosperity and social justice, and called on parliamentarians to translate their commitments into concrete legislative measures, the provision of adequate resources and effective oversight of the implementation of international obligations.

The opening part of the Forum was also addressed by the presidents and vice presidents of parliaments and parliamentary assemblies, including Marinko Čavara, President of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr. Sahiba Gafarova, President of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, Tulia Akson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Lahchen Hadad and Mohamed Ould Erachida, Vice President and President of the House of Advisors of the Kingdom of Morocco, Nusrat Ghani, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom Parliament, Mona Almari, Vice President of the UAE Council for Gender Equality, and Hesa ​​Abdulrahman Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary for the Social Development Sector at the Ministry of Family of the United Arab Emirates.

"The Second PAM Women's Parliamentary Forum was structured through four thematic units that covered issues of encouraging women's empowerment in the economic and political spheres, the importance of supporting women in the areas of education, health and environmental sustainability, the role of women in countering terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism, as well as the issue of sexual and gender-based violence related to terrorism," the statement from the Parliament of Montenegro reads.

Speaking in the second session, Bojanić Lalović said that Montenegro's historical heritage confirms the key role of women in social, cultural and educational development, and that their empowerment is today not only a social priority but also a strategic imperative for economic progress and European integration.

"Throughout the history of Montenegro, women have played a key role as educators, nurturers, and initiators of social and cultural change. They have often broken down established stereotypes, promoted dialogue, and shaped generations of free-thinking and responsible people. This legacy perfectly reflects PAM's commitment to dialogue, inclusiveness, and people-centered development," Bojanić Lalović emphasized.

She added that Montenegro actively contributes to regional dialogue and joint solutions through PAM, and expressed particular satisfaction with the fact that our country will host the 20th anniversary PAM Plenary Session, which will be held from May 6 to 8 in Budva, in the year that also marks 20 years since the restoration of statehood, which represents an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation, exchange experiences and promote joint initiatives in key areas of interest to all its members.

"Bojanić – Lalović emphasized that supporting women is not an exclusively national issue, but a shared responsibility of PAM member states and our partners, emphasizing that Montenegro remains a reliable and constructive partner, committed to gender equality, sustainable development and the fundamental values ​​that unite the PAM family and the Mediterranean space we live in," the statement said.

The Parliament added that on the sidelines of the Forum, the Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro to PAM met with H.E. Mariam Bin Tenaje, President of the PAM Women's Parliamentary Forum, when values ​​and priorities of common interest in the field of women's empowerment and strengthening their role in political, economic and social life were confirmed, with Bin Tenaje expressing gratitude for the continued commitment of the Montenegrin side in persevering and achieving common goals, emphasizing the importance of constructive and continuous cooperation among member states.

"MP Bojanić Lalović emphasized that the Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro will continue intensive communication and cooperation not only on issues of women's empowerment, but also on other topics of common interest, confirming Montenegro's commitment to promoting regional dialogue and partnership initiatives. MP Bojanić Lalović gave a comprehensive interview to the Italian media Mid-2000s, at the invitation of the PAM Communications Team, thereby contributing to the visibility of the Forum's work and PAM's activities. The interview also represented an opportunity to participate in two current PAM communication campaigns, aimed at combating disinformation and hate speech, as well as combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling," the statement concludes.