Increasing capacities of the Ministry of Defence of Montenegro to prevent and respond to gender-based discrimination

Budva, 3-4 December 2019. Fifteen (15) members of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Armed Forces of Montenegro participated in the two-day seminar Gender Equality and Gender-based Violence, Sexual Violence and Violence against Women, delivered by UNDP SEESAC at the request of the MoD.

The interactive seminar made interlinkages between gender inequality and gender-based violence which is a violation of human rights and also a significant security issue.  Furthermore, it increased the capacities of the MoD and AF of Montenegro representatives to identify and effectively respond to gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse.

In order to provide information on the status of gender equality in Montenegro, Mr. Sinisa Bjekovic, Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro,  was invited to the seminar to present statistical data on the socio-economic position of women and men.  The seminar also enabled the exchange of regional experiences in combating gender-based discrimination. Brigadier General Mirsad Ahmić, Inspector General in the MoD of BiH, presented the internal complaints mechanism in the AFs and shared experience in resolving gender-based discrimination in AFs of BiH.

The Strengthening of Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans project is financed by the governments of Norway and the Slovak Republic. With the support of UNDP SEESAC, the project provides the Ministries of Defence and Armed Forces in the Western Balkans with a platform where, over the next three years, they can exchange ideas and develop policies to ensure long-term and sustainable inclusion of the gender perspective in defence policies and practices.

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