5.10 Current debates and reforms
Forthcoming policy developments
Pathways of the future policy developments in the area of youth participation are summarized in the Youth Strategy 2017-2021 https://montenegro.un.org/en/43293-youth-strategy-2017-2021 (2016: 40), which emphasizes two types of problem that need to be addressed: 1. Lack of information and confidence of young people/citizens in the existing mechanisms, such as structures for participation within educational establishments, as well as public debates and other legally defined mechanisms of citizen participation; 2. Maladjustment of existing mechanisms to young people’s needs and/or the lack of new mechanisms that would adequately ensure the fulfilment of the rights of young people to participate in decision-making processes. The problem is also that not enough attention is being paid to the development of personalities, self-confidence and accountability of young people, so that their capacities can be developed and applied in the best possible manner. Also, there is a problem with lack of support for their activism and lack of support for development of that activism, no matter what shape or form it might take. Although, improvement are generally needed in the area of youth policy implementation, there are various measures undertaken by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and its Directorate for Youth, towards providing additional support to the relevant stakeholders to develop their capacities, in accordance with the Law on Youth. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Directorate for Youth of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro44 puts particular emphasis on youth protection, and on promoting youth participation in areas like preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization which lead to terrorism, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, education, tolerance and non-discrimination and political participation.
Ongoing debates
In the 3rd quarter of the current year, the Ministry of Sports and Youth formed a Working Group for the drafting of the Draft Strategy for Youth 2022-2026 with the accompanying AP 2022-2023. The working group, in addition to representatives of relevant institutions, also includes representatives of non-governmental organizations as well as a representative of the representative alliance of non-governmental organizations that implement youth policy in Montenegro. The process of drafting the new Youth Strategy is being carried out with the consultancy and technical support of the UNDP Office in Podgorica.
In the third quarter of the current year, the Ministry of Sports and Youth formed a Working Group for the drafting of amendments to the Law on Youth. The working group, in addition to representatives of relevant institutions, also includes representatives of non-governmental organizations as well as a representative of the representative alliance of non-governmental organizations that implement youth policy in Montenegro. A draft version of the amendments to the Law on Youth has been prepared and work is underway on the preparation of broad consultations with interested parties with the aim of collecting comments and suggestions that will be useful for the finalization of the draft legal text.
In the second quarter of the current year, the Ministry of Sports and Youth formed a Working Group for the drafting of the European Youth Card Development Program 2022-2024 and the accompanying AP 2022-2024. In addition to representatives of relevant institutions, the working group also includes representatives of non-governmental organizations. The process of developing the Program is carried out with the consultancy and technical support of the UNDP Office in Podgorica.
In the second quarter of the current year, the Ministry of Education formed a Working Group for the drafting of the National Strategy of Higher Education 2022-2026. Currently the Working Group is preparing the Report of broad consultations with interested parties with the aim of integrating comments and suggestions that will be useful for the finalization of the draft of the National Strategy of Higher Education 2022-2026.