Podgorica, December 6-7, 2021 – During her two-day visit to Montenegro, UNDP’s Assistant Administrator and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS, Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to support Montenegro in accelerating its Sustainable Development Goals and the EU accession agendas, as well as Government’s reform priorities leading to a green and inclusive socio-economic recovery from COVID-19.

While in the country, Ms. Spoljaric Egger participated in the Ministerial Conference – A Way Forward on Gender Equality in the Defence Sector in the Western Balkans, hosted by the Government of Montenegro in the framework of the UNDP SEESAC program. The conference marked the first time high-level representatives of the Ministries of Defence of Montenegro, of the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia, and of Bosnia and Herzegovina met to take stock of the progress made in advancing gender equality in the defence sector and to jointly map out a way forward. To demonstrate their commitment to continue tackling existing gender inequalities though a regional approach, all four delegations signed a Ministerial Declaration on Support for Gender Equality in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans.

During her visit, Ms. Spoljaric Egger had substantive discussions with Montenegro’s representatives about expanding UNDP’s partnership with the country. She highlighted UNDP’s long-term presence at the global, regional, and local level, as well as the organization’s support to Montenegro in achieving the SDGs and the EU accession Agendas, with particular focus on the follow-up to COP 26, on recovery through green development and digitalization, and on gender equality and public administration reform.

“UNDP is ready to support development of the country’s initial Roadmap for NDC implementation and just transition. COP26 was a critical moment for countries to turn their national climate pledges into action – on mitigation, adaption and just transition. The Just Transition Roadmap should unite all relevant partners and constituencies around the same goal of decreasing GHG emissions at least by 35% by 2030,” Ms. Spoljaric Egger stressed.

She also reconfirmed UNDP’s readiness to continue supporting the greater inclusiveness and transparency of public administration through digitalization and gender mainstreaming, which is a prerequisite in the EU integration process and the country’s sustainable development.

“Integrating gender equality principles in the work of public administration will contribute to citizens’ wellbeing, economic development and growth, as well as the country’s capacities for the EU accession process. Public administration has an important role to play in setting the highest standard in diversity, inclusion, especially through achieving gender parity at all levels of decision making,” Ms. Spoljaric Egger said.

As the visit took place during the 16 Days of Activism against violence against women and girls, Ms. Spoljaric Egger seized the opportunity to reiterate UNDP’s readiness to support the country’s efforts in addressing the whole spectrum of gender equality-related issues, particularly the issue related to gender-based violence, inclusive of violence and hate speech against women in politics and public sphere overall.

“Despite comprehensive efforts to develop and upgrade national legal and operational frameworks, results in tackling violence against women are lacking. UNDP reaffirms its readiness to support the strengthening of the administrative and institutional capacity to ensure the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. Effective inter-sectoral coordination involving all relevant actors, such as police, judiciary, and prosecution and an adequate systemic integration of NGOs in services provision are the key preconditions for multidisciplinary response to the gender-based violence”, Ms. Spoljaric Egger noted.

UNDP’s Regional Director thanked the Government for recognizing the relevance of UNDP’s presence in the country through a strong partnership and a joint commitment to the sustainability of development results. She also commended the Parliament’s partnership with UNDP in addressing the issue of violence against women in public life and close cooperation during advocacy efforts to raise the bar on quota for women on electoral lists.