Santander: Montenegro should develop a new strategy for the prevention and protection of children from violence

Montenegro needs to develop a new strategy for the prevention and protection of children from violence, said the head of the UNICEF representative office in Montenegro, Juan Santander, and added that building a culture of non-violence is a priority for Montenegrin society.

The International Day of Tolerance is being celebrated around the world today, with the aim of promoting respect for different opinions, a culture of dialogue and non-violence.

Santander, as announced by the UNICEF Representation in Montenegro, reminded that gender-based and violence against children were recognized in the recent reports of the European Commission on the progress of Montenegro as issues that cause serious concern.

"Building a culture of non-violence is a priority for Montenegrin society," Santander said.

According to him, in order to achieve this goal, relevant institutions, such as schools, centers for social work, the police, the judiciary and health centers, must join forces in every local community.

"It is also important that Montenegro prepares a new strategy for the prevention and protection of children from violence, which will include online violence and hate speech," said Santander.

On the occasion of the International Day of Tolerance, UNICEF's young reporters invited their peers and all citizens of Montenegro to mutual respect and a culture of dialogue.

Young reporter Luka Vujović stated that it is necessary to explain to people why different does not mean worse.

He called on peers to cooperate with those with whom they differ on any issue.

UNICEF's young reporter Nada Stanišić believes that the culture of dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity is learned from a young age, in the family, kindergarten, school and local community, but also through the media.

She called on schools to regularly hold workshops through which the acceptance of diversity is encouraged.

Stanišić pointed out that UNICEF's My Values ​​and Virtues program is an excellent example of that.

"Each family should set examples of behavior that show mutual respect on a daily basis, regardless of the differences in attitudes and ages among its members," said Stanišić.

She said that the media, all leaders and celebrities should, instead of insulting and hateful speech, spread a system of values ​​in which respect for diversity is implied.

UNICEF stated that in Montenegro, according to the Global Kids Online survey from 2016, almost a third of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 confirmed that they had experienced peer violence.

"In the same survey, a third of young people between the ages of 12 and 17, 32 percent, stated that they often lose their temper and get angry easily," the statement said.

These data, as UNICEF said, indicate the need to strengthen children's socio-emotional skills so that they learn to manage different emotions, improve communication and adopt adequate behaviors for peaceful conflict resolution.

They said that for these reasons, since 2015, they have been supporting the implementation of the My Values ​​and Virtues program, whose goal is the development of socio-emotional skills within the regular education system.

UNICEF stated that the focus of the program is tolerance, creativity, empathy and teamwork.

"In December of last year, 76 percent of Montenegrin citizens stated in an Ipsos survey that they believe that the current sharpening of divisions and hate speech, through which inter-ethnic and religious conflicts are promoted, have a bad effect on the mental health of young people and their willingness to accept differences," says the announcement.

UNICEF said that experiences of violence and hate speech can reduce the self-confidence of young people and put their mental and physical health, and even their lives, at risk.

"They can make it difficult for them to focus and be successful in school and reduce their trust in peers, which leads to isolation or a significant reduction in socializing with peers, which is important for the proper growth and development of every child," stated UNICEF.

They reminded that children who are victims of hate speech and peer violence can contact the school, the center for social work, the police and the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, as well as the national SOS telephone number for children and youth at 116-111.

The National SOS telephone, as they added, is not only for reporting violence, but also for psychological support and advice regarding any issue that troubles children and young people.