Podgorica – The position of women in Montenegro is still far from declarative commitment of decision-makers on achieving gender equality and a society of equal opportunities for both genders, assessed the Coalition for Equality STEP.

Representation and status of women in the social spheres of decision-making remains unsatisfactory. Of particular concern is access of decision makers, who very slow and unwillingly makes and implement the decisions when it comes to improving position of women and implementation of equality policies – it was announced from Centre for Civic Education, which is part of a coalition.

From these NGO’s, they are reminded that a group of Montenegrin NGO’s suggested that the new Law on the Election of Councillors and Representatives include a provision that would make every third place on the list went to the woman, which, they say, allow through the principle of mandate distribution in order of candidates from the electoral list in the parliamentary benches enter higher number of women.

The non-adoption of the amendment, as they say, cause serious damage creating the conditions for stronger political participation of women, and consequently limits the overall democratic process.

Coalition for Equality STEP encourages policy and decision makers to act with utmost responsibility in the further implementation of equality policies that are necessery to balanced development of Montenegrin society and that have committed themselves by accessing to numerous international organizations and documents that are accepted on the path of integration into the European Union – said in a statement.

Coalition for equality STEP consists of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, the Network of Committees for Human Rights in Serbia CHRIS and Gay Straight Alliance GSA from Serbia, Humanitarian Law Kosovo and Youth Initiative for Human Rights Kosovo and Centre for civic education and LGBT Forum progression from Montenegro.

Đ.Ć.