Topic: “Prevention of Child, Forced, Arranged Marriages in the Communities of Roma and Egyptians”

Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak today has met with representatives of relevant institutions from the Republic of Serbia, CARE International Balkans from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Roma Women’s Center “Bibija” from Belgrade and Centre for Roma Initiative from Nikšić.

At the meeting, they exchanged experiences on the prevention of child, arranged marriages in the communities of Roma and Egyptians.

Chairperson of the Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak pointed out that the Gender Equality Committee of the Parliament of Montenegro sought to affirm the policy of anti-discrimination, as well as activities which encourage improvement of the overall position of Roma and Egyptian communities, honouring of human rights and freedoms and especially acquiring conditions for a better position and protection of children and women among the Roma and Egyptian population. Furthermore, she emphasised that continued effort was needed with regard to raising awareness on prohibition of forced and child marriages, because arranged marriages represented violence even though people tried to justify them with the fact of being a part of the Roma tradition, as well as that the NGO Centre for Roma Initiative and other NGOs dealing with these issues had been making efforts for a while now to make this phenomenon visible and to stop its several decades long existence. She pointed out that the Action Plan for implementation of the UN SC Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace and Security in Montenegro” (2017-2018) also recognised the activity of prevention of child forced arranged marriages.

She reminded that in 2016, on the occasion of marking International Roma Day, in cooperation with the Centre for Roma Initiative from Nikšić and the IPA Section Montenegro, the Committee organised a Regional Conference on “Prevention of Child, Forced, Arranged Marriages in the Communities of Roma and Egyptians”. The following attended the conference which was held in the Parliament of Montenegro: representatives of IPA Sections - Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo, and Macedonia, representatives of the NGOs from Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Macedonia, as well as representatives of the ministries, judiciary, Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, Office for Fight Against Trafficking in Human Beings, US Embassy in Podgorica, and international organisations. At the end of the Conference, Recommendations for all actors were adopted - decision-makers, state and local institutions, civil society organisations, representatives of the international community and donors, because joint work on elimination of this occurrence, regional cooperation and and sharing of experiences are of vital importance, concluded Chairperson of the Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak.

Members of delegation of the Republic of Serbia shared their experiences on prevention of child arranged marriages.

Study visit of the representatives of the Roma Women’s Center “Bibija” and relevant institutions from the Republic of Serbia and CARE International Balkans from Bosnia and Herzegovina is a part of the project “For Active Inclusion & Rights of Roma Women in the Western Balkans II (FAIR II)“ which is being implemented in the territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Serbia, and Montenegro, with the support of the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC).

The meeting was attended by: Mr Nenad Ivanišević, State Secretary of the Ministry of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia and President of the Council for the improvement of the status of Roma and the implementation of the Decade of Roma Inclusion,  Ms Gordana Stevanović, Deputy Protector of Citizens for Children's Rights and Gender Equality of the Republic of Serbia, Ms Jovanka Atanacković, Assistant Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia, Ms Aleksandra Milojković Novikova, Office for Human and Minority Rights, Group for the improvement of the status of Roma and Migrant Assistance of the Republic of Serbia, Ms Danijela Lakatoš, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs - Sector for Anti-discrimination Policy and Promotion of Gender Equality of the Republic of Serbia, Ms Vesna Acković, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Ms Jadranka Milićević, CARE International Balkans, Ms Fana Delija, Executive Director of the Centre for Roma Initiative Nikšić, and Ms Slavica Vasić, NGO “Bibija”, Republic of Serbia.