The action of inspection authorities should be aimed at eliminating discrimination and their role is very important in the implementation of legal solutions, said Minister for Human and Minority Rights Suad Numanović.
As announced by the Ministry, he participated today in a round table on the topic of the role of inspection authorities in protection against discrimination, which was organized by the Ekvist Anti-Discrimination Center, with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Belgrade.
"Every two years, the Ministry conducts a survey on the degree of discrimination when it comes to the following groups: persons with disabilities, women, LGBT persons, members of national minorities, Roma", the department said.
Previous research from 2011 showed that, regardless of the relative differences between those groups, the estimated degree of discrimination was relatively high when it comes to each individual group.
"At that time, the lowest estimated level of discrimination was present when it comes to women, more precisely, every third citizen of Montenegro believed that there was discrimination against women to a greater or lesser extent," the Ministry announced.
As it is added, last year it was established that discrimination is less pronounced, namely: against the elderly (from 36 to 32 percent), against national minorities (from 35 to 31 percent), against the Roma (from 63 to 60 percent) and against persons with disabilities (from 58 to 51 percent).
As it was announced, only members of the LGBT community and women have a somewhat more pronounced degree of discrimination, namely: in relation to women by three percent, and in relation to members of the LGBT population by slightly less than four percent.
Numanović, as he said, believes that all the activities undertaken in the period between the two surveys will show further progress in the long-term process of fighting prejudices, traditionalism and conservative understanding of morality and human values.
Numanović said that in all previous reports of the European Commission, as well as of all international organizations in Montenegro and many monitoring missions that follow the state of human rights in Montenegro, there is a clear view that our country has come closer to the civilized standards of modern Europe in the field of legislation.
"The Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination and the Law on the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, both innovated and adopted this year, were adapted to provide a basis and mechanisms for combating discrimination on any personal basis, the first as a systemic law in this area, the second as an institutional mechanism for protection against discrimination, in addition to the protection provided by the courts, authorities for misdemeanors and inspections," the statement says.
Numanović pointed out that the action of the inspection bodies should be aimed at eliminating discrimination. "As well as respect for all rights and obligations related to each individual and that their role is very important in the implementation of these legal solutions".
He also emphasized the contribution of the NGO sector, which he recognizes as an active participant in cooperation for the plan to improve the rights and freedoms of all citizens.
Numanović, it is added, reminded that the Ministry, in cooperation with the OSCE mission in Montenegro, has so far implemented several cycles of very complex educational training that reliably provides full training in providing protection against discrimination continuously since 2011.
"The training is intended, above all, for professionals and all those who in any way come into contact with cases of discrimination, while the promotion refers to the implementation of a media campaign and is aimed at raising the awareness of the entire Montenegrin public, especially towards the most vulnerable categories of the population, with with the aim of respecting all human rights, creating a supportive and more tolerant environment, and respecting the diversity of others," the statement said.
The training included representatives of the judiciary, the prosecution, the Office of the Ombudsman, NGOs, then, representatives of all regional units and police stations in Montenegro and representatives of local self-government from all Montenegrin cities, as well as representatives of almost all inspection services in Montenegro and judges for misdemeanors, which, like the representatives of the inspection, are recognized in the law on prohibition of discrimination as mechanisms of direct protection in cases of discrimination.
The purpose of education, it is added, is to sensitize participants to work with members of the most vulnerable social groups.
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