Meeting with representatives of the Federation of Associations of Parents of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities "Our Initiative” will start at 10:00 a.m., while the meeting with Head of the UNICEF Office to Montenegro will start at 11:00 a.m., in the Red Room of the Parliament of Montenegro./p>

In addition, for 28 April 2014, a meeting of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms with Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro was scheduled, for the purpose of considering the future cooperation, which has been delayed, due to previously arranged obligations of the OSCE Mission Head. Datum of holding the meeting will be subsequently determined.

The meetings are organised with the aim of continuing the cooperation between the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms and UNICEF Office to Montenegro and Federation of Associations of Parents of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities "Our Initiative", for the purpose of implementing activities established by the 2014 Activity Plan of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, devoted to promotion and protection of children’s rights, with special focus on rights of children with developmental difficulties.

Having in mind that, through legislative and control activities of the Parliament of Montenegro, the Committee affirmed both cooperation with relevant institutions and civil sector and transparency in all forms of activities aimed at presentation of its own activities regarding promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms and, considering that the idea for establishing cooperation among all institutions dealing with rights of a child as excellent, since it represents a good opportunity for sharing knowledge and experiences in implementing significant activities for improving the position of children, the Committee considers as important monitoring the implementation of activities implemented by the relevant bodies for the purpose of improving children’s position.

Thus, for the purpose of creating pre-conditions necessary for more complete support to the family, prevention of institutionalisation and acceleration of the process of de-institutionalisation of children currently accommodated in institutions, the Committee wants, by continuing the cooperation with the UNICEF, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and non-governmental sector dealing with these issues, to monitor activities planned in this field for 2014, in the part of its activities established by the Rules of Procedure, and particularly processes of de-institutionalisation of institutions for accommodation of children and provision of alternative solutions and developing a service of foster care as the most desirable form of the alternative protection of children without parental care.

In addition to the above said, the Committee would monitor in the partnership the following:

- work on establishing the network of day care centres in Montenegro;

- implementation of the Law on Domestic Violence Protection and Strategy on Protection against Domestic Violence (2011-2015);

- activities related to the establishment of a single database on victims of domestic violence; and

- establishing a single database and a single SOS lines at the state level.

Additionally, the Committee continues to implement activities aimed at improving the situation of children with disabilities, as particularly vulnerable population, hence, at a meeting with representatives of the Association "Our initiative" it will exchange views on the current situation of this population as well as on the activities that are to be undertaken in the following period in order to improve their position in society. Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Mr Predrag Bošković and Minister of Finance Mr Radoje Žugić are invited at the meeting with representatives of the Federation of Associations of Parents of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities, for the purpose of comprehensive review of the actions taken by the state authorities in order to improve the position of children with disabilities and specific forms of activity in the future.

Cameramen and photo-reporters may record the beginning of the meeting and press releases will be issued after the meeting.

Accreditations should be requested in writing by Monday, 28 April 2014, until 9:00 a.m., via fax: 020 245 125 or by e-mail: press@skupstina.me