At the opening of the Women’s Parliament, the speakers were Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Genci Nimanbegu, Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak, Minister of Human and Minority Rights Mr Mehmed Zenka, Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms Mr Šućko Baković, and Advisor to the President of Montenegro Ms Sonja Tomović Šundić.

Participants in the session included representatives of parliamentary and governmental mechanisms for gender equality issues from the region, such as: Gender Equality Ombudsperson of Croatia Ms Višnja Ljubičić, Advisor to the Vice President of the Government of Serbia Ms Branka Drašković, Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Gender Equality of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Mr Meho Omerović, member of the Commission of Human Rights, Gender Equality, Missing Persons and Petition of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo Ms Mexhide Mjaku –Topali, Executive Director of the Ljubljana Office of CEE Network for Gender Issues Ms Sonja Lokar, representative of the CARE International, Balkans Ms Jadranka Milićević, Minister without Portfolio at the Government of Montenegro Ms Marija Vučinović, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Montenegro Ms Fiona McCluney, member of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Maja Bakrač, President of the Municipality of Tivat Ms Snežana Matijević, female members of women’s associations of parliamentary parties such as the Democratic Party of Socialists, the Social Democrats of Montenegro, the Bosniak Party, the Liberal Party of Montenegro, FORCA and DUA, female representatives of Roma NGOs from Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The sitting of the Women’s Parliament was attended by Deputy President of the Supreme Court, members of the Government of Montenegro, representatives of the diplomatic corps, President of the Municipality of Gusinje and of Local Assembly of Šavnik, coordinators for gender equality at ministries and local self-governments.