The problem of gender violence, which we often associate with adults, happens even in the mother's womb, which is also expressed through the practice of selective abortions in Montenegro, said Aida Perović, executive director of the NGO Prima.
She said this during the work of the 27th generation of the School of Human Rights with a focus on gender equality, within the project "Against gender stereotypes and sexism", which was supported by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights.
The Center for Civic Education (CEO) announced that this non-governmental organization (NGO) organized from October 18 to 20, 2024 in Budva, the work of the 27th generation of the School of Human Rights with a focus on gender equality, within the project "Against of gender stereotypes and sexism!".
"During the School, 23 high school students had the opportunity to improve their knowledge and understand the importance of engaging in the affirmation of gender equality, as well as to analyze the obstacles on the way to its establishment in Montenegrin society, the expressions of which are gender-based violence, entrenched stereotypes and prejudices, sexism , misogyny, hate speech and discrimination on the basis of sex and gender both in real life and in the online space, which are not taught at all or insufficiently in the formal education system," said Maja Marinović, program associate at the CGE and coordinator of the project "Against Gender of stereotypes and sexism!".
She added that gender equality was the focus of this year's School of Human Rights, opening up space for an open conversation with young people about the challenges they face in this area.
"Part of the program also related to the digital environment in which young people are often exposed to dangers without even being aware of it. Through theoretical and practical work, young people were given tools to recognize and combat these phenomena, in order to better understand protection mechanisms and promote gender values equality in their environment," said Marinović.
Perović said that increasingly common forms of gender-based violence among young people include sexual and partner violence, as well as the abuse of intimate photos, videos and messages.
"The consequences of such abuses are severe, especially on the psychological and emotional development of young people who, during puberty, struggle with accepting their identity, and violence further disrupts this process. These forms of violence intensified during the pandemic, but also fit into the historical and political context that advocated the so-called traditional values. We must work on prevention, because we directly and indirectly prevent young people from becoming victims of domestic violence in the future," concluded Perović.
Nada Drobnjak, former president of the Committee for Gender Equality of the Parliament of Montenegro, said that young people who want to reconsider their attitudes, knowledge, beliefs and practices about human rights, with a focus on gender stereotypes and sexism, should attend the School of Human Rights, organized by the CGO.
"By socializing and learning, they will expand and upgrade their knowledge in order to contribute as successfully as possible to the development of civil society. Only those who are gender aware will be ready to recognize gender-based discrimination, to oppose it and build a society of equal opportunities. Young men and women who attend this school are ready to build civil, gender-equal Montenegro," said Drobnjak.
Tamara Milaš, a human rights activist, said that through this school, young people are given the opportunity to learn about basic rights, principles of justice and social equality, and that understanding and applying these concepts are key to building equal opportunities for everyone.
"Here, they learn about generations of human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as collective and green rights, and through practical work to distinguish and practice them. The approach of this School, which does not only transmit theoretical knowledge, is very important , but encourages young people to think critically and actively contribute to the development of a fairer society," said Milaš.
The participants of the School of Human Rights shared their impressions.
"I applied to the School of Human Rights because I believe that education is the key to changing and improving society. This school means a lot to me because it gives me the opportunity to learn more about issues of justice, equality and human rights. I was especially inspired by the part of the program about sexism and misogyny speech, because it shows how language can influence social norms," said Eva Radunović, a student at Petar I Petrović Njegoš High School in Danilovgrad.
"The desire to expand the circle of people with whom I can discuss important social issues motivated me to apply for the School of Human Rights. I was particularly interested in gender equality and the debate on gender equality stood out as a particularly useful session, as it allowed me to look at this issue from more angles and deepen my understanding of this complex topic," Matija Marković, a student at Golubovci Mixed Secondary School, assesses.
"I want to know more about human rights and gender equality, and that is the reason for my application, but also meeting new people, even those who do not think like me. At the School, I changed some of my attitudes, became more informed. Also, this School helped me see where I'm wrong and use the prejudices I'm fighting against," says Alina Sergienko, a student at the High School of Fine Arts in Cetinje.
"When I first thought about applying to CGO's school, I had no idea how much it would excite me. My motivation for enrolling was primarily due to the lack of education on these topics in high school, which further emphasizes the importance and effort of CGO to expand this precious knowledge," said Mitar Ćurčić, a student at the "Vaso Aligrudić" ETŠ in Podgorica.
"The school benefited me because I learned new things that I will continue to share with my peers. It was very interesting, and I liked the topics related to human rights, hate speech, misogyny and feminism the most", is part of Una Perazić's impression. students of the "Podgorica" Gymnasium.
"This school means a lot to me because in a short time I realized how many useful things I can learn. I was motivated by the very name of the school, and the topics dealing with gender equality are especially interesting to me. I deepened my understanding of key social issues, but also learned how to be actively involved in addressing them", Danira Zaimović, a student of "Miloje Dobrašinović" Gymnasium, sums up her experience.
The lecturers and workshop participants of the School of Human Rights were human rights activists and experts, and the 27th generation successfully graduated: Anastasija Rešetar, Uroš Đurišić, Una Perazić, Nikola Arsović, Milica Kaluđerović, Danira Zaimović, Matija Marković, Anna Gomenjuk, Adela Stanić, Anja Matešić, Vuksan Ćetković, Sara Iljazi, Andrijana Maraš, Bogoljub Džankić, Eva Radunović, Marija Anđelić, Luka Nikolić, Miloš Ognjanović, Vuk Vuksanović, Alina Sergieenko, Hamza Avdić, Mitar Ćurić and Manja Perić.
Bonus video:
