Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak and Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Mr Waldemar Figaj were keynote speakers at the Seminar on gender equality for MPs of the Parliament of Montenegro.

The two-day seminar was organised with the aim of greater respect of gender aspect through work of the Parliament.

Experts of OSCE/ODHIR Ms Andreea Vesa and Ms Kristin van der Leest were lecturers at the seminar.

Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Mr Waldemar Figaj stated that the gender equality in the Parliament was significant for numerous reasons, not only from the aspect of protection of human – woman rights, but also due to the fact that political parties influence the level of participation of women in politics as members and candidates, which directly contributes to the representativeness of political processes.

The following were panel topics at the seminar: Introduction to Gender Equality: Terminology, Why the Gender Equality is Important for the Parliament, Women, Peace and Security, Political Participation of Women, Parliamentary Mechanisms for Gender Equality and Strengthening of Inter-Party Cooperation in the field of Gender Equality.

The following participated in seminar work: members of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms Ms Ljerka Dragičević, Ms Ljiljana Đurašković PhD, Ms Branka Bošnjak Docent PhD, Ms Zdenka Popović, Mr Goran Tuponja and Mr Jovan Martinović, members of the Security and Defence Committee Mr Luiđ Ljubo Škrelja, Mr Vasilije Lalošević and Mr Zoran Miljanić, members of the Administrative Committee Ms Marta Šćepanović and Mr Emilo Labudović, members of the Anti-Corruption Committee Mr Fatmir Gjeka, member of the Committee on European Integration Mr Veljko Vasiljević, member of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants Mr Miodrag Vuković PhD, Associate in the Department of Gender Equality in the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights Ms Branka Vlahović, representative of the Department on Gender Equality and Combating Violence Against Women to the Council of Europe Ms Raluca Popa.