Podgorica, 23 October 2023. High representatives of the Delegation of the European Union, Austria and the United Nations system in Montenegro, in the presence of the President and Prime Minister of Montenegro, signed an agreement on the allocation of funds to the Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund. The Fund is a new generation financial tool established by the UN team in the country, which seeks to pool donor funds that will be directed towards development initiatives. Click here to donate to Sustainable Development of Montenegro The President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, said that the Fund is not only a financial mechanism, but a powerful means of influence adding that “today's gathering signifies the strength of Montenegro's partnership with the United Nations, the European Union and partner countries.” "Our country has shown its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by encouraging this initiative and supporting the implementation of the Strategic Framework of Cooperation agreed by the Government of Montenegro and the United Nations. We have also sent a clear signal that Montenegro is focused on development in strategic areas by making a significant contribution to the Fund and paving a way for other countries to do it." – said Milatović. "With this initiative, we promote the values of the UN, but also generate new value for the citizens of Montenegro. This is the best indicator that a good and inclusive policy pays off and that Montenegro has friends all over the world. We owe a gratitude to the EU, which strongly supports us in this way as well. I invite other countries to join in doing things together, not only for the benefit of Montenegro, but also to send a message of peace and prosperity to everyone, because Montenegro, as an ecological country, is entitled to advocate the Sustainable Development Goals." - said the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazović. The European Union allocated two million EUR for the Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund, while Austria allocated EUR 1.5 million for this purpose. The Ambassador of the European Union in Montenegro, Oana Kristina Popa, said that support to the Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund is a new and innovative form of cooperation. "We are establishing a unique framework that will allow us access to all 18 UN agencies working in Montenegro. Thus, we will make the best use of their expertise in supporting the necessary reforms and development efforts of Montenegro. Support to the Fund is part of the EU aid package called the Instrument for Reforms, which was created to support Montenegro in solving difficult and structural obstacles to growth, and will include other international organizations, such as the EBRD and the World Bank," said Popa. "Austria is joining this partnership because of its’ unique setup, its transformative and innovative potential. As such, the Fund is aligned with Austrian foreign policy – to support multilateralism through a strong role of the United Nations, and to support the European perspective of the Western Balkans to progress decisively on their path towards joining the EU - also in the interest of regional stability," said Karl Müller, Ambassador of Austria to Montenegro Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund supports the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027, a strategic five-year cooperation plan of the Government of Montenegro and the United Nations. By consolidating and directing funds towards development interventions, this Fund aims to provide strategic support for the acceleration of Montenegro's accession to the European Union and at the same time the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro, Peter Lundberg, thanked the European Union and Austria for joining the Fund. "What we are building in Montenegro with this Fund is a precedent in the development system of the United Nations and an inspiration to other countries. We are very proud to present to you today a new platform for donations and the launch of the Fund's partnership with the private sector. The donor platform, as one of the proofs of the Fund's innovative and inclusive approaches, represents an invitation to the private sector, individuals and friends of Montenegro and United Nations to get involved in supporting the sustainable development of the country," said Lundberg, announcing the first partnership of that kind with the Electric Power Company of Montenegro. The latest contributions are continuation of support to the Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund. Previously, contributions to this Fund were provided by the governments of Luxembourg, Switzerland and Montenegro. The Fund is designed to support strategic initiatives in three priority areas of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027: 1) inclusive economic development and environmental sustainability, 2) human capital development, reducing vulnerability, social inclusion and 3) social cohesion, people-centred governance, rule of law and human rights.

  Podgorica, 26 September 2023 The failure to elect the seventh member of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme State Prosecutor and new lay members of the judicial council has put plans for judicial reform at risk in Montenegro, a UN expert said today. “The failure to ensure the independence and integrity of the judicial system in Montenegro is hindering access to justice for its citizens,” said Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers in a statement at end of an official visit to the country. Satterthwaite said Montenegro’s Parliament had failed, on multiple occasions, to elect the seventh member of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme State Prosecutor, and new lay members of the Judicial Council. “As a result, strategic leadership in these institutions is lacking, and planning and action for reform of the system is not possible. Members of Parliament must put the interests of their country above politics, and ensure these appointments take place without any further delay,” the expert said. During her visit, Satterthwaite met with judges and prosecutors who reported working in conditions that were manifestly underfunded. Buildings were old, too small, and in a poor state of repair. There was insufficient office space, creating security risks for judges and prosecutors and IT and digitalisation was severely lacking, the Special Rapporteur found. “During my visits to courts, I was shocked to see and hear about inadequate facilities for storage of archives and evidence, including firearms and drugs,” the expert said.  Satterthwaite said that while various governments had outlined plans for new court buildings over the years, the plans had not resulted in concrete improvements. She called for additional resources to be provided and decisions on allocation taken with the strictest respect for the principle of judicial and prosecutorial independence. The Special Rapporteur met many organisations that described being repeatedly excluded, overlooked, or mistreated by the system. Groups representing persons with disabilities, women survivors of intimate partner and family violence, Roma, LGBT persons and others spoke of excessive delays, insensitive or uninformed judges and prosecutors, and a lack of political will to make progress. Satterthwaite said she recognised the energy and commitment of individuals she met in every part of the judicial system and civil society, who were sincerely working, in good faith, to provide justice and serve their country. “I salute their efforts and stand ready to offer my assistance and support. I encourage all others in Montenegro and the broader international community to do the same,” the expert said. She noted that while many of the laws and systems necessary to ensure independence, integrity and quality justice services were now in place in Montenegro, implementation remains deficient. “If Montenegro cannot, or will not, take steps to ensure the independent, impartial and competent functioning of the judicial system, then a radical accountability measure, such as vetting, must be considered,” Satterthwaite said. The Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report containing her findings and recommendations to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2024.   ENDS   *The expert: Ms. Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. She was appointed as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers by the Human Rights Council in October 2022. Professor Satterthwaite is an international human rights scholar and practitioner with decades of experience in the field. She is a Professor of Clinical Law at New York University School of Law. The Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity. UN Human Rights, Country Page - Montenegro For further information and media requests, please to hrc-sr-independencejl@un.org For media inquiries regarding other UN independent experts, please contact Maya Derouaz (maya.derouaz@un.org) or Dharisha Indraguptha (dharisha.indraguptha@un.org) Follow news related to the UN's independent human rights experts on Twitter @UN_SPExperts. Concerned about the world we live in?
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Podgorica, 19 June 2023 Widespread hate speech among young people, its root causes and consequences were at the centre of a dialogue with young people organized by the UN team in Montenegro organised with drama studio “Prazan prostor (Empty Space)” to mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, 18 June, in Podgoric’s Dodest theatre. The event gathered around 60 young people of different ages, different segments of society, from groups that often face hate speech, and representatives of the Protector for Human Rights and Freedoms and of international partners - the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “Fighting hate speech is critically important for the UN. It is, as the Secretary-General has said, a toxic and destructive phenomenon. It goes against the very fundamental promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose 75th anniversary we commemorate this year, and which remains as relevant today as it was then,” said Anjet Lanting, Human Rights Adviser in the UN team in Montenegro. In a dynamic and open discussion, young people agreed that hate speech is omnipresent in their communities, pointing out that the response of society is not nearly sufficient. The dialogue saw an exchange of experiences, touching testimonies, and concrete examples faced by young people, who identified some of the root causes and key drivers of hate speech. Patriarchal stereotypes, unregulated social media and the lack of prioritizing this problem were just some of the causes mentioned in discussion. “Hate speech is used at every step and every day, on any possible ground – gender, sexual orientation, nationality, political affiliation, wealth status, popularity in the group… all of these,” said 17-years old Asmir, pointing that at times people justify hate speech by referring to the freedom of speech. The dialogue with young people was inspired by young actors’ short performances of real-life situations and the short movie “Love and Violence”. The movie depicts a play by young actors of real-life situations and of gender-based hate speech and violence experienced by adolescents. The play is performed in the so-called ‘forum theatre’ – an interactive format with interruptions by moderators at critical moments to engage the audience in discussion. “What we saw in the movie is very realistic, something that we witness or experience almost on daily basis,” said 12-year-old Iva, noting that hate speech is too often ignored or covered up. Facilitators from drama studio “Prazan prostor” Marija and Mirko, who have vast experience in facilitating dialogues on this topic, steered the discussion towards helping the young audience to understand the nature of hate speech and to getting them to share their views. “It’s always fascinating but at the same time shocking when young people unlock their experiences and their attitudes,” said Marija emphasizing that society has an unacceptable level of tolerance towards hate speech and that hate speech these days seems to have become normalized. “What we heard today is hard hitting, uncomfortable, but it was clear: hate speech and violence in the home, in schools, in media and in society are very real. Young people shared touching experiences, but also important ideas of what they can and will do themselves, and what parents, teachers and leaders should do to stop hate speech and violence,” concluded Anjet Lanting. The dialogue with young people on hate speech was organized within the initiative to mark the 75th anniversary of Universal Human Rights Declaration - #HR75. The UN Human Rights Office funded the event.     Photo Gallery