The Gender Equality Committee traditionally marked the International Roma Day by holding the thematic meeting “Romani Women on Arranged Marriages”.

The meeting was opened by the Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak, who pointed out at the problems that plague the Romani community, primarily unemployment, poverty, housing issues, the need for ensuring education for young generations, as well as specific forms of family violence such as early marriage. She pointed out that in recent years the number of educated and successful Roma women and men was on the rise, providing significant contribution to democratic and multicultural Montenegro and concluded that joint efforts of Roma and Egyptian communities and the entire Montenegrin society were needed in order to fully integrate Roma and Egyptians, as well as to improve their living and working conditions.

The attendees were also welcomed by the project coordinator at the US Embassy Ms Sunshine Ison

Members of the NGO “Centre for Roma Initiative” performed a play titled “Imposed Destiny”, which was implemented with the assistance of the US Embassy to Montenegro. The play speaks of the issue of arranged marriages and the early marrying of Roma women. The attendees had the opportunity to comment the play and offer solutions to the presented problems.

Within the meeting, members of the association DORRA – Domestic Handicraft of Roma Women, presented the collection of jewellery, created in cooperation with the mentor Ms Slobodanka Martinović, as a result from the project of economic empowerment of Roma women and assistance with integration and self-employment of RE population and other internally displaced persons living in the Konik Area – Podgorica.

In addition to the Committee members, the interested MPs also attended the meeting: Ms Azra Jasavić, Mr Rifat Rastoder, Mr Milorad Vuletić, Mr Dritan Abazović, Mr Emilo Labudović and Mr Veljko Zarubica, as well as representatives of certain ministries and institutions, international organisations and representatives of NGOs dealing with the issues of the position of female Roma population in Montenegro.