“Children Speak Out - Trafficking Risk and Resiliency in Southeast Europe - Montenegro Report” has been prepared by psychologists Itana Kovacevic and Verica Mirovic, associates of Save the Children, who have conducted this research in Montenegro with children without parental care, residents of the ''Mladost'' Children's Home, Bijela and children from the biggest Roma refugee settlement Konik in Podgorica. The aim of this regional action-participatory research was to obtain detailed information from children about the factors that expose some of them to the risks of trafficking and exploitation, as well as to learn about their strength and resiliency in unfavorable situations that many of them face. This research report succeeds in presenting the children's perception of their own lives and their relationships with their peers, adult family members or adults from the institution and the wider community. It portrays their fears, hopes and dreams, and provides valuable insight and understanding for all those committed to improving the life of children; protecting them from abuse and exploitation, and; helping them fulfill their ambitions. In addition to numerous children’s statements, the report includes the opinions of parents and other adults in charge of taking care of the children, enabling interesting comparisons.
The research began in March 2006 within the three-year Save the Children Regional Child Trafficking Response Programme, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and Oak Foundation, and implemented, besides Montenegro, in six more countries in Southeastern Europe with the aim of providing support to at-risk or trafficked children in Albania, Bosnia and Herzgovina Bulgaria, Kosovo, Romania and Serbia. During this week, Save the Children is going to present the national reports entitled, Children Speak Out –Trafficking Risk and Resiliency in Southeast Europe, in all of the countries given above, while the consolidated regional report is to be presented before the European Commission in Brussels in early October 2007.
By publishing this report, Save the Children wishes to call upon all competent government and non-governmental institutions and organizations to enhance their efforts to reduce the identified risks that many of these children are faced with and initiate additional programmes to help strengthen their resiliency.
The report is attached below.
Source: Save the Children in Montenegro