President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović, opened today the Eighth Session of the Women’s Parliament, organised by the Gender Equality Committee, ahead of International Women's Day, to promote the women human rights in Montenegro.

In his introductory speech, President Brajović emphasised that, as the President of the Parliament, he has the privilege of contributing directly, together with other MPs, to the making of legal assumptions that take care of human rights in a long-term sustainable way, among which women's rights occupy a prominent place.

He said that with the latest amendments to the electoral law, the possibility of increasing the participation of women in legislative power has been provided for, including the standard according to which the seat of the resigning female councillor or MP would exclusively be filled by the next candidate from the electoral list. Mr Brajović also reminded that in the work of this Convocation of the Parliament of Montenegro, 19 female MPs participated, making 23.45% of the total number and represented a significant step forward concerning the composition of the previous convocation with only 14 female MPs.

President Brajović expressed his expectation that other segments of government and the civil sector would provide a sincere and full contribution to the emancipation of the community through the improvement of women's rights, such as visible efforts made by the Parliament of Montenegro with regard to this and concluded that there was room for further action and raising awareness of the need for women to be more represented in decision-making places and places of power, more protected when it came to violence, for them to be economically more independent, and to be the bearers of equal rights in matters of property, heritage and others.

Ms Nada Drobnjak, Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee, in her introductory address to the participants of the "Women's Parliament", emphasised that 8 March has been important in the history of the development of the whole society, because the economic, political and social achievements of women have been celebrated on that day. She noted that global society was still a traditional society in which women needed to fight for a better position each day, that being the situation in Montenegro as well, and that much more was needed for us to do to be able to speak about the real equality of women and men.

At the end of her presentation, the Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee, Ms Nada Drobnjak, said that the essence should be restored to the 8 March, the struggle of women for equality to be celebrated, which was the goal of the "Women's Parliament".

Then followed the address by the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, Mr Šućko Baković, and the responces of the members of the Government of Montenegro to the questions of representatives of women's associations of parliamentary parties and civil society.

Beside the MPs, representatives of women's associations of parliamentary parties and civil society, the Session was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, international organisations and local self-government.

- Speech of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ivan Brajović