President of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Ranko Krivokapić today opened the fourth session of the “Women’s Parliament”, where representatives of the Government of Montenegro answered the questions posed by participants, representatives of women’s associations of parliamentary parties and representatives of civil society.

President Krivokapić pointed out that even in the historic plane, the woman in Montenegro stood behind all great heroic deed, including those of war, and that from those times of being a worker in silence the woman had received full affirmation, by joining the time of workers of equality and justice, to which the Parliament of Montenegro contributed by launching the Women’s Parliament.

He estimated that the Women’s Parliament represented affirmation of women in Montenegro, and a model enabling them to express their views and their achievements on this platform, and that this technique should be a part of our lives, and not a part of obligations, to become a part of culture in which the mythical, the traditional, and the cultural were linked together.

President Krivokapić said that in any case there was a great room for work, effort, and affirmation of women’s achievements, such as the programmes implemented by the Gender Equality Committee, for which Montenegro could be additionally recognised.

In her introductory address, Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak, among other things, said that in the year marking two decades since the adoption of the Beijing Platform and Action Programme at the IV Women’s World Conference and in which the Millennium goals were supposed to be achieved, it was significant that on 8 March we should remember all women who fought for achieving economic, political, and social rights of women.

She pointed out that it was significant that every one of us should make the changes happen, in order to achieve the vision, and become a society of gender equality and equal opportunity.

Representatives of the Government of Montenegro answered 24 questions posed by participants from women’s associations of parliamentary parties and representatives of civil society.

The “Women’s Parliament” is organized by the Gender Equality Committee, on the occasion of the International Women's Day, with the aim of promoting women’s human rights in Montenegro and the need for greater participation of women in political and public life, in order to get – through dialogue among the Parliament, the Government and civil society - an overview of the situation in the field of gender equality and identify areas where additional efforts are necessary for the purpose of achieving better results.

The session was also attended by representatives of diplomatic corps, international organisations, and local administration, MPs and Heads of MP Groups.

Before the beginning of the session, Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ms Nada Drobnjak opened the exhibition of art works of the young Montenegrin artist MsKatarina Zlajić.