Marginalization of LGBTI people must be ended

The UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro Fiona McCluney congratulated participants marching the 6th Pride Parade and welcomed continuous support of the Government of Montenegro.

She underlined the obligation of society to ensure decent life for LGBT and Intersex people and praised their courage for standing up for their rights in often hard circumstances. “Being homosexual, bisexual, transgender or intersex today can mean facing a myriad of obstacles in your daily live, from being bullied at school, being discriminated or risking your own physical and mental integrity, “ said Ms. McCluney.

Montenegro decriminalized same-sex activity more than 40 years ago and has since adopted strong legal and other measures banning discrimination, hate speech and hate-motivated crimes on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Despite these efforts, LGBT and Intersex people continue to face acts of harassment, intimidation and violence in their everyday lives.

“We must step up efforts to address the deeply entrenched patriarchal social attitudes that keep pushing the LGBT and Intersex community towards marginalization and exclusion. Impunity for attacks on people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is unacceptable,“

Fiona McCluney, UN Resident Coordinator

McCluney said calling on all responsible parties to ensure that any assault or attack on a person’s  right to live free and equal is effectively addressed.

McCluney welcomed recent decision of the Constitutional Court which reaffirmed State responsibility to protect the right to peaceful assembly. The Court ruled in favor of organizers planning a Pride March in Nikšić in 2015, which was banned by State authorities due to threats of violence. Most notably the Constitutional Court did not find reasonable grounds to justify a ban on the basis of public order.

“As we celebrate this year the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we stand firm in respecting diversity,“ concluded Ms. McCluney.