The UN system in Montenegro: Misogyny and hate speech against women are unacceptable

Misogyny and hate speech against women are unacceptable, is the message of the United Nations (UN) system in Montenegro on the occasion of March 8, International Women's Day 2021.

"International Women's Day is an opportunity to mark the progress that humanity has made on the long road to achieving full equality between men and women, boys and girls. The irreplaceable contribution of women to society is still questioned, which should not be the case. How stated in the recently published UNDP report, unpaid housework and responsibilities that women in Montenegro have in relation to family care, reached a projected monetary value of 122 million euros in the first three months of the covid 19 pandemic in 2020. At the same time, almost half women face violations of their rights during work, employment or termination of employment. This is only the tip of the iceberg," he points out in a message signed by UN resident coordinator Peter Lundberg on behalf of the UN system in Montenegro.

It is added that despite the abundance of evidence about the key contribution of women and girls to society, we are witnessing a worrying trend that women and girls in Montenegro face misogynistic attitudes, hate speech, sexist language, violence and other forms of intolerance and discrimination.

"This is visible in the public sphere and the media, and especially in the discourse of social networks. It seems that women have become an instrument of opposing views and political programs in the public debate, which is a very worrying situation that puts at risk the results of several years of slow but continuous progress in raising awareness of the importance of protecting and defending the universal values ​​of equality and dignity for all. All of this is happening in the context of the covid-19 pandemic, which in itself has exacerbated deep inequalities and led to an epidemic of various forms of violence against women that is taking place in parallel with health. A growing trend women and girls in all spheres of life are exposed to violence - whether they are younger or older, employed or unemployed, politicians, women with disabilities, activists and students," the message reads.

It is also stated that when it comes to women in politics, a recent survey showed that nine out of ten of them are discriminated against just because they are women, while seven out of ten have experienced some kind of violence in Montenegro.

"The United Nations has a clear attitude towards misogyny and hate speech against women. Simply - it is unacceptable. Although freedom of expression, in accordance with international instruments that regulate the field of human rights, is an indisputable right, it implies special obligations and responsibilities - we are all obliged to respect the rights and reputation of others and protect those whose rights have been violated. The United Nations system in Montenegro calls on the competent authorities to investigate and hold accountable all perpetrators of acts of misogyny, discrimination and hate speech against women and girls. The UN calls for increased individual responsibility and draw attention to the special role of public figures who set an example for others, but also to the role of the media in ensuring zero tolerance towards misogyny and hate speech. It is up to all of us to stop this trend by holding those who cross borders to account," the message states.

It is also stated that the fight for the equality of men and women has been going on for a long time.

"Although much remains to be done, we must not allow the course of the key successes achieved so far to be reversed. The United Nations system in Montenegro joins the call of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to "change the way of thinking, raise public awareness and condemn systemic bias". As the Secretary General pointed out – "The world has an opportunity to leave behind generations of deep-rooted and systemic discrimination. It's time to create a future where everyone is equal," the message concludes.