Existance of a national strategy on social inclusion

Montenegro does not have a single strategy for the social inclusion of young people.

The main responsible state bodies that implement the social inclusion of young people through strategic and systemic solutions are:

•         Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare https://www.gov.me/mrs 
•         Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism https://www.gov.me/mepg 
•         Ministry of Human and Minority Rights https://www.gov.me/mmp 
•         Ministry of Sports and Youth https://www.gov.me/ms 
•         Ministry of Public Administration https://www.gov.me/mju 


Strategies and regulations that define measures and activities and more closely regulate the area of social inclusion are:

The strategy for the development of the social and child protection system 2018-2022 https://www.gov.me/clanak/222281--akcioni-plan-za-2020-godinu-za-sprovodenje-strategije-razvoja-razvoja-sistema-socijalne-i-djecje-zastite-za-perio-od-2018-do-20  recognizes the need to improve the normative framework and quality system in social and child protection in relation to: standards of social and child protection services, system of licensing of service providers, system of licensing of professional workers, system of accreditation of training programs, organization, norms, standards and way of working in centers for social work and supervisory support; improvement of social and child protection services, reduction of users of accommodation services in social and child protection institutions, with special reference to children, development of family foster care placement service, with special reference to non-relative foster care, greater participation of local governments in improving the quality of social and child protection in local communities, increasing the participation of social organizations, non-governmental organizations, business companies, entrepreneurs and natural persons in the provision of social and child protection services in a sustainable manner, all with special emphasis on vulnerable categories of persons (children, persons with disabled, Roma and Egyptian LGBTQ persons).
The mentioned Strategy was preceded by two Strategies, namely: Strategy for the development of social and child protection for the period 2008 – 2012, Strategy for the development of social and child protection for the period 2013 - 2017.

In order to implement social policy in Montenegro, reduce poverty and achieve equality for all citizens, a whole set of legal and bylaws was adopted:

In accordance with the Law on Social and Child Protection, by-laws were adopted, which prescribe the organization and way of working in centers for social work, professional work in the field of social and child protection, standards of social and child protection services, the quality system in social and child protection and other issues affecting the functioning of the social and child protection system, the most important of which are:

Rulebook on closer conditions and standards for the performance of professional work in social and child https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/060d0a44-1a13-4e5b-a257-2ec6e41e406a protection ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 056/13 dated 06.12.2013, 014/14 dated 22.03.2014, 073/19 dated 27.12.2019), which regulates professional jobs in social and child protection (among others, the jobs of educators; jobs of occupational therapist; case manager; expert worker on material benefits; expert worker at accommodation service providers; professional worker at community life support service providers, etc.), as well as closer conditions and standards for their performance.

Rulebook on detailed conditions for issuing, renewing and revoking work licenses for professional workers in the field of social and child protection https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/b58cff3a-4bca-48b0-b093-6775326f6747  ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 073/17 of 03.11.2017), which regulates detailed conditions for issuing, renewing and revoking licenses for professional workers who perform tasks in social and child protection, as well as the work license form.
Rulebook on detailed conditions for issuing, renewing, suspending and revoking a license for performing social and child protection activities ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 038/18 of 13.06.2018, 076/19 of 31.12.2019, 016/21 of 17.02.2021, 084/21 of 02.08.2021, 059/22 of 03.06.2022), which prescribes detailed conditions for issuing, renewing, suspending and revoking a license, as well as the license form for performing social and child protection activities
Rulebook on closer conditions for education, composition and working methods of social-medical commissions https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/94a71721-e538-4c83-923a-3b14d1513435 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 044/14 of 21.10.2014, 019/19 of 29.03.2019, 006/21 of 22.01.2021, 059/22 of 03.06.2022) prescribes the conditions for the education, composition and way of working of social-medical commissions
Rulebook on detailed conditions for the realization of basic material benefits from social and child protection https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/9319f024-d5d4-442a-9ddf-dcdee4bdcdbb ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 043/20 dated 13.05.2020, 043/21 dated 23.04.2021, 076/21 dated 09.07. 2021, 113/21 of 25.10.2021) prescribes more detailed conditions for the realization of material benefits from social and child protection (material security (form Z-MO and Z-MOP); personal disability allowance (form Z-LI); allowance for care and assistance (form Z-DNJP); health care (form Z-ZZ); funeral expenses (form Z-TS); one-time financial assistance (form Z-JNP) compensation to a parent or guardian of the beneficiary of the right to personal disability allowance (form Z-NRS); compensation for a newborn child (form Z-ND); allowance for children (form Z-DD-1 and Z-DD-2); reimbursement of salary compensation and salary compensation for maternity or parental leave (form Z-RNZ); compensation based on the birth of a child (form Z-NRD); refund of salary compensation and salary compensation for half-time work (form Z-RNZRP). application forms for obtaining these benefits, as well as the content and form of findings and opinions of the center for social work.
Rulebook on detailed conditions for the provision and use of family accommodation services - foster care and family accommodation https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/da570f2e-f9e6-4665-9824-752d582ab602 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 019/14 dated 17.04.2014, 015/16 dated 03.03.2016), prescribes detailed conditions for providing and use of family accommodation-fostering and family accommodation services, norms and minimum standards of services, assessment of the suitability of persons to provide services, program and method of conducting training, provision of professional support, as well as compensation for the costs of family accommodation-fostering and family accommodation and compensation for the work of the service provider.
Rulebook on detailed conditions for the provision and use of services, norms and minimum standards of services for the placement of children and young people in institutions and small group communities https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/802ccbb8-6f4c-47f0-af16-ac6b74e92816 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro'', no. 018/18 of 23.03.2018) prescribes detailed conditions for the provision and use of family accommodation-fostering and family g accommodation, norms and minimum standards of services, assessment of suitability of persons for providing services, program and method of conducting training, provision of professional support, as well as compensation for the costs of faily accommodation-fostering and family accommodation and compensation for the work of the service provider.
Rulebook on detailed conditions for the provision and use, norms and minimum standards of counseling-therapeutic and social-educational services https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/c0f75674-6fd3-427f-9630-a199e12ae19c ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 076/19 of 31.12.2019), prescribes detailed conditions for the provision and use of services, norms and minimum standards of services for children and young people in an institution and a small group community.
Rulebook on detailed conditions for the provision and use, norms and minimum standards of support services for life in the community https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/e70e615d-57b8-47a8-90c9-8883a38a21a3 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 063/19 of 18.11.2019), prescribes the detailed conditions for the provision and use of services, norms and minimum standards of support services for life in the community. In this regard, day care services are provided to: children with disabilities and developmental disabilities; young people with disabilities and developmental disabilities; to a child with behavioral problems; an adult and an elderly person; and an adult and an elderly person with a disability.
The home help service is provided to: children with disabilities and difficulties in development; and an adult and an elderly person with a disability.
Housing with support service is provided to: adults and elderly persons with disabilities; and a young person who was a child without parental care until the age of 23.
The drop-in service is provided to children who find themselves without the supervision of their parents, adoptive parents or guardians; and an adult and an old person who is homeless.
The personal assistance service is provided to the user of personal disability allowance, i.e. the allowance for care and assistance, who is employed, i.e. included in the higher education system, i.e. the adult education system.
Services from para. 1 to 5 of this article are also provided to a person who, due to special circumstances and social risk, needs an appropriate form of social protection.

Ordinance on closer conditions for provision and use of the norgenity of HTTPS://www.gov.me/dokumenta/5C67FF80-B3C2-4EA5-953C-2873982C3FA0  ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 12/23/2019) Arrangement conditions for provision and use, normative conditions are prescribed and minimum standards of accommodation services in the Shelter Shelter. 
The service of long-term accommodation in a shelter-shelter is provided to: 
1) a child who is a victim or a witness of abuse, neglect, gender-based violence, domestic violence and exploitation or who is at risk of becoming a victim; 
2) a child who finds himself outside the place of residence without the supervision of parents, adoptive parents or guardians; 
3) children and young people with behavioral problems; 
4) to a child who is a victim of human trafficking; 
5) an adult and elderly person who is a victim of abuse, neglect, gender-based violence, domestic violence and exploitation or who is at risk of becoming a victim; 
6) an adult and elderly person who is a victim of human trafficking; 
7) an adult and elderly person who is homeless;
8) a child, an adult or an elderly person who, due to special circumstances and social risk, needs accommodation.

The service of temporary accommodation in a shelter-shelter is provided to children, adults and elderly persons who are victims or witnesses of abuse, neglect, gender-based violence, domestic violence and exploitation, or who are at risk of becoming a victim.
Rulebook on medical indications for exercising the right to material security, allowance for care and assistance, personal disability allowance and salary compensation for half-time work https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/4839f739-70a9-4c45-9931-d579e2118151 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 058/14 of 29.12.2014) prescribes medical indications for exercise rights to material security, allowance for care and assistance, personal disability allowance and salary compensation for half-time work.
Rulebook on the organization, norms, standards and way of working of the center for social work https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/099c5389-83f4-457a-83d9-a3fd87d0d011 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 058/13 from 20.12.2013, 030/15 from 12.06.2015, 017/16 from 11.0 3.2016, 043/19 dated 31.07.2019) prescribes the organization, norms, standards and way of working of the center for social work.
Rulebook on the content and form of the individual activation plan and the way of implementing measures of social inclusion of working-age beneficiaries of material security https://www.csrcg.me/images/Dokumenti/Pravilnici/Materijalna%20davanja_1/5.%20Pravilnik%20o%20sadr%C5%BEini%20i%20obliku%20individualnog%20plana%20aktivacije%20i%20na%C4%8Dinu%implementing%C4%91enja%20measures%20social%20including%C4%8Activities%20working%20capable%20users%20material%20providing%C4%91enja%2071_18.pdf  ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 071/18 of 05.11.2018), prescribes the content and form of the individual activation plan and the way of implementing social inclusion measures at work capable beneficiaries of material security.
Rulebook on the amount of funds for development, i.e. financing of social and child protection services and criteria for their distribution
https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/4714da6b-04b1-4076-ac33-99f00c44dab8 ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 042/15 of 29.07.2015), prescribes the amount of funds for development, i.e. financing of social and child protection services, criteria for distribution of funds by individual local self-governments (hereinafter m text: municipalities), criteria for the participation of municipalities and the dynamics of the transfer of funds.
Other strategies that regulate youth social inclusion policies in certain segments are:

National strategy for sustainable development until 2030
https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/6852d215-af43-4671-b940-cbd0525896c1 

In the national Sustainable Development Strategy until 2030, which represents the implementation document of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 in Montenegro, the priority is to achieve social security for young people by enabling easier access to the labor market and gaining employment. That is why young people are enabled to be active and motivated participants through measures of pronatal policy, including tax mechanisms and other reliefs for families with children, improving the quality of life in urban areas through the availability of affordable apartments for young people, etc.

Main responsible state body: Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism.

National Employment Strategy 2021-2025 https://www.zzzcg.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/predlog-nacionalne-strategije-zaposljavanja-2021-2025-s-predlog-akcionog-plana-zaposljavanja-za-2021-godinu.pdf The response of the labor market to global challenges is an expression of the continuity of the preparation of strategic documents in the field of employment policy, which is based on the strategic documents from the aforementioned policy (2 012-2015; 2016-2020)
Measure 3.3, 3.4, 3.5. 3.6, 3.7. These strategies put a special focus on the implementation of services and measures of active employment policy in order to improve the employment of young people on the labor market, women, persons with disabilities and RE population as well as foreigners, which includes young people.
It is especially as measure 3.8. recognized social inclusion of beneficiaries of material security, especially in the direction of reducing the scope of social protection during activation on the labor market.

In this context, in addition to the Ministry of Economic Development, i.e. the now competent Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Culture and Media, social partners and the civil sector also play an important role in the policy-making process.
As key subjects of the institutional framework in the process of implementing labor market policies, the Employment Agency, the Directorate for Inspection Affairs, the Labor Inspectorate, the Employment Agency, the Agency for the Temporary Assignment of Employees, the Agency for the Peaceful Resolution of Labor Disputes, and the Labor Fund are recognized.

Minority Policy Strategy 2019-2023 https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/20beb3bb-2136-457e-be4d-4f8b278e51db. 

The Minority Policy Strategy 2019-2023 is an umbrella sectoral strategic document in the area of minority protection, the fight against discrimination and strengthening the social inclusion of minority peoples. This strategy recognized that Montenegro is poor in personnel when it comes to the number of people educated in the Albanian language. Scholarships for students is a measure that would motivate young people to learn and improve the Albanian language, which would create local staff in the long term and lay a realistic basis for solving this issue.
Main responsible state body: Ministry of Human and Minority Rights in cooperation with other bodies and organizations of civil society

The National Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2025
https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/41e3ee6a-757a-4684-9763-9fee5e933afd shows that gender equality in Montenegro is at a very low level. The insufficient level of media literacy among young people in Montenegro and the lack of recognition of gender stereotypes is recognized as a challenge when it comes to young people.

Main responsible state body: Ministry of Human and Minority Rights in cooperation with other bodies and organizations of civil society

Strategy for social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians57 (2021 - 2025) https://www.gov.me/clanak/strategija-socijalne-inkluzije-roma-i-egipcana-u-crnoj-gori-2021-2025 Improving the socio-economic and legal position of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegro, by improving an inclusive and open society based on the promotion of equality, fighting and eliminating all forms of discrimination, anti-Gypsyism and poverty is the main strategic goal of this strategy. When we talk about the social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians, it is important to point out that the Strategy specifically targets the insufficient level of social integration of Roma and Egyptians, and that this category belongs to the poorest categories of society, that they live in non-conditional facilities with unresolved legal status, human trafficking, child and arranged marriages and child begging are all present reasons that lead to ethnic and social distance. This document recognizes measures and activities to reduce discrimination of Roma and Egyptians in all areas, including in the area of social protection. Special emphasis was placed on operational goals related to the improvement of legal and institutional protection of Roma and Egyptian women against gender-based violence, which will be measured, among other things, by the percentage of women aged 20-24 who got married before the age of 15 or before the age of 18.

Strategy for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities from Discrimination and the Promotion of Equality 2016-2021 
https://www.zzzcg.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/strategija-za-zastitu-lica-sa-invaliditetom-sa-ap-1.pdf 
The general goal of this strategy is to provide persons with disabilities with full equality in all areas of life in accordance with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Constitution and the laws of Montenegro. Effective protection of persons with disabilities is primarily lacking. This Strategy represents a step forward compared to the previous one, because women and girls with disabilities and children with disabilities are recognized as special areas, and the entire document was prepared in accordance with the UN Convention and the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
One of the strategic directions of action of this strategy is to amend and supplement the existing legal framework in the areas of social and child protection, limitation of business ability and through legal recognition of young people with disabilities as a special category.
The preparation of this Strategy was preceded by the preparation of the Strategy for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities from Discrimination and the Promotion of Equality for the period 2017-2021.

The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination https://www.paragraf.me/propisi-crnegore/zakon-o-zabrani-diskriminacije.html ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 046/10 of 06.08.2010, 040/11 of 08.08.2011, 018/14 of 11.04.2014, 042/17 of 30.06.2017) recognizes, among other things, and age (old age) as a basis for discrimination.
The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities https://www.csrcg.me/images/Dokumenti/Zakoni/Zakon%20o%20zabrani%20diskriminacije%20lica%20sa%20invaliditetom.pdf ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", no. 035/15 of 07.07.2015, 044/15 of 07.08.2015) also recognizes discrimination in the area of social and child protection and adequate living standards, as an area of discrimination.
The main responsible state body: the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights in cooperation with other state administration bodies, local self-government bodies and civil society organizations and the institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms
Youth Strategy 2017-2021 https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/0b3c4620-cc47-4a32-bda9-66dc04ffd32d 
The youth strategy places special emphasis on removing barriers to access to the labor market and sustainable employment, where intersectional issues are particularly important, such as the position of girls with developmental disabilities and issues related to entering the labor market. Vulnerable categories of young people (young people with disabilities, Roma, Egyptians, homeless people) are recognized as more difficult employable categories.)
Main responsible state body: Ministry of Sports and Youth
Strategy for the prevention and protection of children from violence 2017-2021 https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/4f98be5b-58e7-4df7-822a-34a9d4fdcf65 
The strategic document is aligned with the 2017-2021 strategy for the prevention and protection of children from violence, the main goal of which is reflected in the need to strengthen the role of the national system in the prevention of violence and the protection of the physical and mental health of children who are exposed to violence or are at risk of violence, the provision of care and services for children who are victims of violence, and the mitigation of health and other negative consequences of violence.
The Law on Protection from Domestic Violence
https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/072eb204-b885-43e2-8d30-3931bda88cef ("Official Gazette of Montenegro", No. 046/10 from 08.08.2010, 040/11 from 08.08.2011) regulates the conditions and procedure for protection from domestic violence, which includes children and young people.

Main responsible state body: Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

STRATEGY FOR REALIZING THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD 2019-2024 https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/a699e08b-288e-49eb-ac25-f5b58075332c 

The strategic document emphasizes the improvement of children's position, preparation in various areas and states the need to take further steps in order to solve key challenges, among which, among others, it is recognized that there are still children without parental care who live in institutions, although their number has significantly decreased; children living in the most unfavourable conditions are still exposed to the risk of being separated from their families; current support for the development of non-relative foster care is still insufficient, low material benefits for children with developmental disabilities from social and child protection; day care centres for children with developmental disabilities are limited to providing services only for girls aged 3 to 27.

Main responsible state body: Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF LGBTI PERSONS IN MONTENEGRO 2019-2023 https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/b78cc299-7d34-4338-af1e-e6effc866986 
The Strategy in question is a continuation of the policies and measures of the previous Strategy for the Improvement of the Quality of Life of LGBT Persons - 2013-2018, as well as a response to the perceived challenge related to the social acceptance of LGBTQ persons, social perception burdened with stereotypes, prejudices that see LGBTQ persons as a violation of morals and values about a gluttonous lifestyle. The strategy is based on the reports and recommendations of numerous international bodies, which suggest improvement in the policy of protection of LGBT people, especially from the aspect of law enforcement and their inclusion in different spheres of life.

In the context of the provision of social services and support to LGBTI persons within the framework of the implementation of the previous Strategy, emphasis was placed on the training of social workers to sensitized work with LGBTI persons, including young people.
Changing the social perception of LGBT persons among specific target groups such as young people, employees in public institutions/establishments in the private sector and private sector, political parties, sports organizations are recognized as the main directions of action. change

Main responsible state body: Ministry of Human and Minority Rights in cooperation with other bodies and organizations of civil society

Cooperation strategy of state administration bodies and non-governmental organizations 2022-2026 https://wapi.gov.me/download-preview/cc6fef07-782f-4b78-8b15-fa851ccc3abf?version=1.0 (NGO Strategy) is a strategic document planned by the Work Program of the Government of Montenegro for 2022 and the Program for the Accession of Montenegro to the European Union 2022-2023. year, which regulates the relationship of cooperation between state administration bodies and non-governmental organizations. One of the key steps that will be taken in the coming period is to include the evaluation of previous programs to strengthen the capacity of the NGO sector, as well as the analysis of possible measures to encourage the employment of young people in the NGO sector.

Main responsible state body: Ministry of Public Administration.

Specific target groups

When it comes to specific target groups, according to the Youth Act, young people are people aged 15 to 30. It is a diverse and vulnerable population, given that it includes children (15-18 years old), young people in the period of coming of age and transitioning to adulthood, students, graduates, young people looking for employment, young people who are in the process of solving social and other life problems. And persons who belong to the younger youth, i.e. who are considered children, but also those who belong to the older youth, can become part of the NEET population, for many different reasons. Bearing in mind the above, it is clear that the reduction of the NEET population requires a complex approach and the application of various measures and policies 
https://nvoprima.org/assets/files/Studija-opoloajuNEETmladihuCrnojGori2021..pdf. 


Responsible authority

This information is not available at the moment.

Revisions/updates

This information is not available at the moment.