Montenegro is investing in establishing and providing an enabling environment that enables the development of universal and targeted parenting and caregiving support programs, said Minister of Health Vojislav Šimun at the Global Forum for Support to Parents and Caregivers, held on January 15 and 16 in Madrid.
"Parents and caregivers shape the future of our societies every day. If we want children to thrive and reach their full potential, we must first support those who care for them. By supporting parents and caregivers, we invest in healthier children, stronger families and more resilient societies," said Šimun during the session Roadmap for Universal Support for Parents and Caregivers.
A delegation from the Ministry of Health, led by the Minister, participated in the previous two days at the Global Forum, which brings together leaders and experts from the fields of health, early childhood development, education, social protection, child protection and justice, with the aim of shaping a common global approach to strengthening support for parenting and caregiving, the ministry announced.
The delegation also includes the Minister of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography Damir Gutić with his associates, as well as the State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Milena Cojić and the independent advisor in the same department Milica Dukić Marković, as well as the Minister
Šimun said that Montenegro is already systematically investing in the development of universal and progressively targeted family support programs, in line with national priorities and international recommendations.
"Among universal services, a special place is occupied by community nurses, who provide professional support to parents through home visits from the very beginning of a child's life. We have also developed a national adaptation of the Bebbo mobile application, which provides parents with reliable, scientifically based information on child development, health, nutrition and responsible parenting."
He recalled that the Early Childhood Development Strategy, adopted in 2023, builds on Montenegro's "strong family-friendly policies", including paid maternity and parental leave that can be used by both mothers and fathers until the child reaches the age of one, as well as an intersectoral approach that connects the health, education and social protection systems.
The Minister emphasized that special attention is being paid to families who need additional support.
"A strong example of progressive and targeted support is the Family Care program, aimed at strengthening parent-child relationships, as well as the PORI early intervention program, intended for parents of children with developmental delays and disabilities," said Šimun.
The Forum adopted the Declaration and Global Call to Action "Every Child Safe, Loved and Supported", which calls for the expansion of evidence-based parenting support programs, with an emphasis on their contribution to the health and well-being of children, the mental health of parents, the prevention of domestic violence, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
"Every child deserves to grow up safely, in a supportive environment, with love and support. Montenegro remains strongly committed to this goal and ready to contribute to joint global action," the Forum said, as announced by the Ministry of Health.
The Forum is co-hosted and organized by the Government of Spain, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), with the support of the Global Initiative for Parenting Support (GISP), and the event was attended by the Queen of Spain.
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