The general context for youth in Montenegro is shaped by demographic, social, and economic factors, as well as by the country’s legal and policy framework. Young people, defined as those aged between 15 and 30 in accordance with the Law on Youth, constitute nearly a fifth of the population. Their social inclusion is influenced by policies covering social protection, education, employment, and the specific needs of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, Roma and Egyptian communities, and LGBTIQ youth. The legal and institutional system provides mechanisms for support, including eligibility for social benefits and services for individuals up to 26 years of age under the Law on Social and Child Protection. In recent years, the introduction of the Social Card – Information System of Social Welfare (ISSS) has enhanced the capacity of institutions to process, approve, monitor, and audit social benefits in a more transparent and efficient manner, reflecting Montenegro’s efforts to modernize its social protection infrastructure. 

Social inclusion of young people in Montenegro is a priority area of public policy, aimed at empowering vulnerable groups and ensuring their full integration into social, educational, and economic life. The institutional framework primarily relies on key documents such as the Strategy for Youth 2023-2027 and the Strategy for the Development of the Social and Child Protection System, supported by sectoral strategies addressing poverty reduction and the prevention of social exclusion. The core objective of these policies is to create equal opportunities for all young people, regardless of their background, economic status, or personal characteristics, with a specific focus on the transition from education to the labor market.

Particular emphasis is placed on supporting specific target groups, including young people with disabilities, members of the Roma and Egyptian communities (Strategy 2021-2025), LGBTIQ+ youth, and care leavers transitioning from institutional care. Through the implementation of national and Local Action Plans (LAPs), the state works on removing physical and administrative barriers, enhancing digital literacy, and combating stigmatization. Local self-governments play a crucial role in this process by developing specific support services—such as day-care centers, counseling services, and Youth Services (Omladinski servisi)—striving to make these services accessible to users across all regions of the country.

Despite significant progress in aligning with European Union standards, challenges such as regional disparities and high unemployment rates among vulnerable youth remain prevalent. The activities of the civil sector, in cooperation with international partners such as the UNDP Montenegro and the EU, remain vital for monitoring policy implementation and introducing innovative employment models. Future directions for inclusion in Montenegro are focused on strengthening inter-sectoral cooperation and ensuring the sustainability of services that directly contribute to social cohesion and active citizenship among the youth.

The inclusion of Roma and Egyptians (RE population) is guided by the Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma and Egyptians (2021–2025), which focuses on addressing key issues such as housing, education, and employment, especially considering that many members of this population live in segregated settlements in Podgorica, Nikšić, and Berane. 

Regarding persons with disabilities, Montenegro is implementing the Strategy for Protection of Persons with Disabilities from Discrimination and Promotion of Equality (2022–2027), which emphasizes equal rights, independent living, and participation in society. 

Social services development is also an important component of inclusion policies. Local governments are increasingly involved in strengthening community-based services, particularly those targeting children and youth, through various local initiatives and projects.

Social inclusion is further supported by the United Nations and the European Union, where it represents one of the key strategic priorities, focusing on strengthening social protection systems and promoting inclusive development. 

The youth sector in Montenegro has been shaped by both national and local initiatives, yet the overall system often faces challenges in translating legislation and strategic intentions into practice. While local youth plans and research initiatives, such as the UNDP study on local policies and youth needs, provide a foundation for planning, many young people remain unaware of their rights, relevant strategies, or the mechanisms available for participation in decision-making. Moreover, gaps in communication, particularly the underuse of digital platforms and social media, limit the effective dissemination of policy information to young people, further constraining their engagement.

Social Work Centres play a fundamental role in promoting social inclusion and supporting young people at risk in Montenegro. In accordance with the Law on Social and Child Protection (Article 114), these centres are responsible for assessing the conditions, needs, strengths, and risks of service users and other significant individuals. They evaluate the suitability of caregivers, foster parents, and adoptive parents, and develop and monitor individual service plans. Centres also resolve requests for social and child protection rights at the first instance, take measures and participate in judicial and other proceedings, maintain records, and perform additional tasks defined by law. 

Montenegro operates a unified hotline, 19977, for citizens to report individuals in need of social protection due to special circumstances or social risk. This line also provides beneficiaries with information necessary to exercise their rights under social and child protection frameworks. The hotline and centre staff are available 24 hours a day, ensuring continuous access to support. Social protection rights include both basic material benefits and social and child protection services. Material benefits encompass social assistance, personal disability allowances, care and assistance allowances, healthcare, funeral costs, one-time financial aid, and compensation to parents or guardians caring for children with disabilities. Child protection benefits cover newborn allowances, child allowances, preschool meals, support for children with special educational needs, maternity and parental leave compensation, and allowances for multiple births. 

Social work centres also provide essential social services, including support for community living, counselling and therapeutic services, social-educational services, temporary accommodation, and emergency interventions. Eligible users include individuals and families entitled to social and child protection benefits or undergoing the application process. Beneficiaries may include Montenegrin citizens, asylum seekers, and foreigners with temporary or permanent residence status in Montenegro, in accordance with national and international law. The primary goal of social and child protection is to enhance the quality of life, empower individuals, and support families to lead independent and productive lives. Users are also guaranteed protection of personal data contained in their records, including information about their personal, behavioural, and family circumstances, and the manner in which social protection rights are exercised. 

Main challenges

Among the most pressing challenges facing youth in Montenegro is the high rate of unemployment and the difficulty in transitioning from education to stable employment. Despite improvements in the labour market indicators in 2022, youth unemployment remains a persistent issue, with many young people experiencing delays of over a year before securing employment. The mismatch between skills acquired through formal education and those demanded by employers, particularly soft skills and technical expertise, exacerbates the problem, leading to extended periods of inactivity and limiting socio-economic independence.

Additional challenges include the limited participation of young people in decision-making processes, insufficient awareness of rights and available support mechanisms, and disparities in access to quality education, cultural activities, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, Roma and Egyptian youth, and young people from rural areas, face compounded barriers, ranging from discrimination to structural inequities in housing, education, and employment.  Violence against children and youth remains a concern, and the migratory movement of young people, both internally and abroad, continues to affect local communities and labour markets.

The social protection system itself, while legally comprehensive, has historically emphasized ad hoc measures aimed at alleviating immediate social issues rather than providing preventive or systemic solutions. The centralization of social services limits responsiveness to local needs, while resource constraints reduce the scope and quality of support, particularly for marginalized populations. NEET youth (those not in employment, education, or training) remain at risk of long-term exclusion, highlighting the need for policies that integrate education, employment, and social protection measures more effectively.

The UNDP assessment of youth policies and needs in 15 Montenegrin municipalities highlights that, despite Local Youth Plans being informed by research on local youth needs, many young people remain unfamiliar with the relevant legislative and strategic frameworks and do not understand how to engage in decision‑making processes. Furthermore, young people’s previous experiences of participation are often limited to formal activities and rarely result in their proposals being recognised or acted upon (UNDP, Assessment of Youth Policies and Needs in 15 Municipalities in Montenegro). 

Insufficient information and somewhat lack of interest among young people have been identified, which indicates the need for significantly greater coverage of young people when creating strategic documents and plans concerning that target group. The lack of use of modern information distribution channels (social networks and applications) through which young people could be more effectively informed about policies, advice and various issues related to young people in various areas such as education, employment, cultural content, opportunities for business develop-ment, etc. 

The 2025 analysis of the labor market in Montenegro highlights several challenges and opportunities for young job seekers. Many young people entering the workforce for the first time face significant barriers, primarily due to a lack of practical work experience. Even those with higher education often struggle to find employment in their field, indicating a mismatch between formal education and labor market needs. This situation underscores the importance of programs that provide practical skills and hands-on training tailored to current job opportunities. 

The allowance for material security is the only allowance from the field of social as-sistance) is the only allowance from the area of social assistance and which is directly intended for persons who have been judged to be poor. In addition, all bene-ficiaries of material security have the right to funeral expenses, kindergarten and food expenses, to textbooks, a holiday of up to 7 days per child and a subsidy for transportation expenses and young people with disabilities. Currently, the dominant share in expenditures for material benefits is provided by fees that support people with disabilities (Social Protection in Montenegro – Situational Analysis). 

The percentage of young people aged 15 to 29 who are neither employed nor in education or training in 2021 is the second highest recorded in the last 7 years (on-ly 0.1 less than in 2020). This year, it is higher among boys than among girls (28.3 vs. 24.6) (NVO Prima – Policy paper).

As part of the ReLOaD2 initiative, research and evaluation of local policies related to youth and perceptions/needs of youth was conducted. The main goal of this re-search is the analysis of local policies related to young people as well as the needs of young people in 15 Montenegrin municipalities, with the aim of using the ob-tained results as a basis for the further development of effective local policies for young people 

Research Mapping policies for youth and determining existing support in funding actions for youth in the Western Balkans (WBYR2021) and challenges that need to be addressed include: coordination of activities at national and local level, im-provement of indicator-based reporting practices and provision of competent social workers in youth services. Research and assessment of local policies related to youth and youth needs in 15 local governments show that young people often do not appreciate diversity, and that they have many prejudices against individuals with disabilities, those from a lower social status and similar categories of society. In addition to the identified discrimination of vulnerable categories of the population, such as young people with special needs, the identified problem refers to the atti-tude towards these people by institutions.

In addition to the identified discrimination of vulnerable categories of the population, such as young people with disabilities and special needs, the identified problem refers to the attitude towards these people and by the institutions themselves. The research results show that special efforts should be made to accept diversity among young people in order to reduce the level of discrimination against vulnerable cate-gories of persons with disabilities and members of minority groups (RE population, LGBTIQA+, NEET, young people from rural areas).

Discrimination among young people is a multidimensional problem and requires an integral approach. The migration of young people, from small communities to de-veloped communities, represents an additional problem, because of which these communities face a lack of personnel, so it is necessary to work on improving the general environment. Young people first migrate for the purpose of obtaining higher education, and later for economic reasons.

A particularly vulnerable population in Montenegro is the population of Roma and Egyptians. The report cites the three most dominant problems as: the unavailability and non-networking of data related to Roma and Egyptians, the absence of effec-tive mechanisms for the coordination of social integration policies of Roma and Egyptians at the local and national level, and the inadequate allocation of funds to finance issues of social integration of Roma and Egyptians.

When it comes to certain areas, the report emphasizes that the problems faced by this population are expressed in terms of: housing (non-conditionality of buildings and legal status of ownership); education (low level of enrollment in primary and especially secondary schools); health care (lack of information and unregulated sta-tus and consequently low level of exercising rights). Also, this population faces weak participation in the labor market (they usually have access to lower paid and seasonal jobs) and employment promotion programs as well as social services. The research showed that continuous direct support is necessary for the further in-tegration of this population, and therefore the importance of improving the work of social inclusion associates and teaching assistants is especially emphasized.

Recent research shows that violence remains a significant issue affecting young people in Montenegro, highlighting the importance of integrated support measures. For example, recent empirical studies conducted under a project implemented by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation covered peer and online violence in 120 primary and 49 secondary schools, providing comprehensive evidence on the prevalence and dynamics of school-based and cyber violence among youth. 

National-level research on digital violence revealed that every second high school student reported receiving sexual content from an unknown person online, emphasising the seriousness of online harassment and the need for targeted prevention and protection strategies. 

Additionally, other surveys indicate that a significant proportion of adolescents experience some form of family-related violence, with nearly one in three secondary school students reporting exposure to domestic violence in their household environment. 

In response to these findings, initiatives supported by the Council of Europe, such as the “Prevention of Violence in Schools” project, aim to strengthen preventive frameworks, promote safer school environments, and provide tools for teachers, parents, and students to address all forms of violence effectively. 

More information can be found through the following resources:

• Social protection in Montenegro - situational analysis
• Situational analysis of the social protection system in Montenegro
• Analysis of the state of the rights of children and adolescents in Montenegro
• Analysis of legal and institutional mechanisms for the provision of social integration services for Roma and Egyptians (Roma Program – Acted 2019)
• Improving the inclusion of children with disabilities and adults with disabilities

Persons with disabilities are discriminated against in multiple ways. The inaccessi-bility of public facilities and surfaces, the high level of unemployment, as well as the lack of social support and services as a prerequisite for independent living, shows that people with disabilities are the most socially vulnerable category. Young peo-ple with disabilities are not recognized as a special category, except through regu-lations and records of users of social and child protection services, and benefits based on social protection rights. Services in the field of social protection (personal assistance, help at home) are provided only by non-governmental organizations through the support of projects. Some services for young people with disabilities are not even recognized, such as help for parents with disabilities, etc.

In support of this, he also speaks:

• Montenegrin alternative report on the implementation of the United Nations Con-vention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Montenegro
• Concluding observations on the initial report of Montenegro CRPD/C/MNE/CO/1

Definitions

In Montenegro, young people are legally defined as those aged 15 to 30, and their rights and protections are explicitly recognized in the Constitution and relevant legislation. The Constitution of Montenegro guarantees fundamental rights, equality, and protection against discrimination (Articles 6, 8, and 17) and ensures special safeguards for youth, women, children, families, and persons with disabilities (Articles 64, 68, 72–74). The Law on Youth further defines the age range and establishes the institutional framework for youth policy, while the Law on Social and Child Protection determines eligibility for social services and material assistance up to age 26. Collectively, these legal instruments provide the foundation for the promotion of youth inclusion, participation, and protection in Montenegro.

The Law on Social and Child Protection establishes legal principles and objectives that reflect the core elements of social inclusion. According to this law, social and child protection aims at improving the quality of life and empowering individuals and families to live independently and productively, and it explicitly recognises the importance of services that promote participation and support for people at risk of social exclusion. The law emphasises principles such as non‑discrimination on the basis of personal characteristics, active participation of users, and the availability of services in the least restrictive environments to improve quality of life and social inclusion. In particular, the law’s principles require respect for dignity and equality, individualized support, and provision of community‑based services to prevent exclusion and promote integration into society.