Contributed by: Irena Milatovic and Vanja Mikulic, Montenegro National VAW Monitors

SOS Niksic is trying hard all these years to make people respect principles of gender equality. Since the public discussion on changing the Statute of the City Assembly of Niksic has started, SOS Niksic decided to use this opportunity and to submit the initiative for the establishment of the Council for Gender Equality in this town.

During a public discussion that was held on August 2006, representatives of SOS Niksic defended their attitudes toward the necessity of the urgent establishment of such a Council before the responsible Commission, representatives of media, presidents of communities and citizens.

The new, amended Statute of Niksic City Assembly will be adopted in its next session, and it is expected that the Council for Gender Equality will be established by the end of 2006, at the latest.

This will be the first municipality to have a formal institutional mechanism for the establishment of gender equality principles and policies. This initiative is a part of the project Program of coordinated activities in combating domestic violence in Niksic supported by CIDA.

Source: SOS Hotline for women and children victims of violence Niksic