Round table: “Women’s economic empowerment and their role in the society in the process of EU integration"

Ministry for Human and Minority Rights organised earlier today, in the library of the Gymnasium “Slobodan Škerović”, round table: “Women’s economic empowerment and their role in the society in the process of EU integration".

Minister for Human and Minority Rights, Suad Numanović, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, H.E. Janina Hrebičkova and principle Radiša Šćekić held the introductory speeches.

Minister Numanović stressed that this topic is very important, not only in terms of gender, but also in terms of economic development of a society.

Montenegro, according to Minister Numanović, has recognised the importance of women’s role in its society and, strengthens its role bringing into focus activities that will help women in Montenegro to become more visible in the public and political life, and therefore get the status of economically empowered and protected from violence.

He reminded that the Government of Montenegro implements measures that increasingly influence women engagement in trainings, with the aim of greater success and chance of getting hired. 

Responding briefly to students’ questions on how women can achieve all faced obligations in practice, Minister said that the programs implemented by the Government of Montenegro endeavour for a method that would create conditions under which women can harmonize all of its obligations.

Strengthening the role of the family and therefore making an assumption that family can function despite all obligations that its members have, represents one way, said the Minister.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, H.E. Janina Hrebičkova said that the duty of every society is to realize that, if it wants to have a rich county it must use the potentials of both men and women. According to H.E. Herbičkova, that harmony will contribute to social cohesion that is crucial for Montenegro. 

Professor and Advisor of the President of Montenegro, Ph.D. Sonja Tomović Šundić, History Professor MSc, Vesna Kovacevic, president of the History Professors association of Montenegro Hipmond, MSc Vanja Vuković, Head of research sector in the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, Nina Drakić, Secretary of the Operational Team for Implementing the Strategy for informing the public about the Montenegro's accession to the European Union 2014- 2018, Mirela Tuzović and Head of the Department for gender equality affairs, Biljana Pejovic, were speakers at  the roundtable.

Head of the Department for gender equality affairs, Biljana Pejovic informed participants about the activities that Ministry for Human and Minority Rights implements in order to advance women's economic empowerment.

She emphasised that Ministry for Human and Minority Rights made significant progress in this field, and concluded that economically stable woman equals the economically stable country.

Particular emphasis, during the Round table, was placed on the necessity for constant keeping the public apprised of all social activities especially in the field of the rule of law.  

Women’s economic status is one of the gender equality policy priority tasks, and has a special significance in the development of our society. Social policy, by strengthening women’s economic status through the development of women entrepreneurship, attempt to find a way to avoid unemployment.

It was emphasized that Montenegro is the first country with which in the negotiations the new approach is applied, which assumes that the Chapter 23 Judiciary and fundamental rights and 24 Justice, freedom and security are opened at the beginning and they will be closed at the end of the negotiations. Chapter 23 implies the promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms, equality policies, and it is most closely related to the improvement of gender equality policy.

Ministry for Human and Minority Rights