Children's rights and social protection should be of greater importance and more and more in the focus of the reform processes of Montenegro, it was assessed at the meeting of the protector of human rights and freedoms (ombudsman) of Montenegro Siniša Bjeković with the head of the UNICEF representative office, Mikele Servadei.
The institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro announced that the head of the UNICEF representative office, Mikele Servadei, visited the institution and spoke with Bjeković.
Servadei said that UNICEF will continue close cooperation with the ombudsman in the coming period, so that the strengthening of policies and services for children will be at the very center of the EU accession process.
Bjeković said that there are no serious systemic violations of children's rights in Montenegro, but that there are many areas where better results are needed.
"One of the problems is violence, in all forms, from family violence, peer violence, as well as the one that is increasingly brutal in the online world," said Bjekovic.
He emphasized that human rights must not be of lesser importance compared to other topics from socio-political life, especially when it concerns vulnerable categories, including children.
Servadei said they want to see tangible changes in the lives of the most vulnerable children, such as children living in poverty, children with developmental disabilities, children in institutions, children from minority groups and those in contact with the law.
"In order to ensure that they enjoy their rights, just like other children in Montenegro," said Servadei.
He added that for this it is necessary to allocate sufficient financial resources from the state budget.
Servadei emphasized the importance of evidence-based policy making, highlighting the contribution that UNICEF's Multiple Indicators of Children and Women's Rights Survey (MIKS) can make.
"This research is complementary to the census, provides insight into more than 40 indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals and offers reliable and internationally comparable data on the position of children and women in the country," the statement reads.
Servadei pointed out that it is essential for the Government to publish a database on children that everyone will be able to easily access.
"This will ensure transparent monitoring of the state of children's rights and the creation of policies based on data, which will contribute to achieving the desired results in the lives of children and families," said Servadei.
The press release states that Bjeković and Servadei agreed to cooperate closely on the establishment of the Barnahus service in Montenegro, which is recognized as an example of good practice in the EU, with the aim of providing multi-sector protection for child victims of violence, sexual abuse and exploitation in one place. .
"Both of them recognized the need to ensure better protection and visibility of the situation and legal status of child witnesses of domestic violence in Montenegro. In order to improve the quality of services and for every child to have access to quality services, Montenegro should increase the number of social workers who work on the ground, as well as to strengthen their capacities. Servadei and Bjeković agreed that in order to achieve this goal, decentralization, monitoring of the allocation of public finances for children and closer cooperation of local and state authorities are necessary," said the Ombudsman institution.
The announcement states that they also agreed that, within the initiative funded by the UNPRPD, together with other UN agencies in Montenegro, they will continue to strengthen the Independent Monitoring Mechanism, which is logistically supported and implemented by the Ombudsman institution together with ten organizations for the rights of persons with disabilities, as would ensure respect and monitoring of the rights of children and persons with disabilities in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
"An agreement in principle was reached on the implementation of a joint initiative in cooperation with UNDP, UNESCO and OHCHR and with the support of the UN Peacebuilding Fund, the aim of which is to strengthen the Ombudsman Institution for the adoption of international instruments and standards on social cohesion and better recognition and monitoring hate speech, narratives that lead to divisions, violence and other threats to social cohesion. The interlocutors emphasized that it is important to strengthen dialogue and tolerance in society, because political and other tensions, hate speech and intolerance always spill over to children as well," it concludes. in the statement.
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