Montenegro
Montenegro has seen dramatic socio-economic changes and a series of violent inter-ethnic armed conflicts over the past two decades. Many children are malnourished, don’t go to school or have access to proper healthcare. In addition, mistreatment and exploitation of children is a serious problem.
What we’re doing
- We’ve enabled children to enjoy a good-quality education.
- We've helped children get their voices heard in their communities.
- We’re reaching vulnerable children by providing protection services.
- We’ re supporting foster children and their families.
Save the Children in Montenegro
We began working in South East Europe after the First World War. In Montenegro we’ve focused on reducing poverty and making sure children get a good quality education, whatever their background. We've also been stepping up the pressure on the authorities to make sure that essential policies and practices are firmly in place.
We’re enabling children to get a good-quality education
Rates of school enrolment vary greatly in Montenegro, with children from ethnic groups, refugees, and those with disabilities often missing out on an education.
Our ‘Index for Inclusion’ helps individual schools deliver education for children from all backgrounds, and our early childhood development programme has improved the quality of services offered to children under seven. Our national coalitions for inclusive education will ensure that children's needs are central to school management and education planning.
Read about our campaign to get all children in Montenegro into school and learning.
We’re getting children’s voices heard
We're succeeding in getting children's voices heard in Montenegro.
A range of activities were held in several cities to mark our ‘day of action against violence against children’. We also supported a public awareness campaign ‘Do not turn your head: there is a solution,’ explaining child protection issues and the existing protection system and services.
We’re helping to keep children safe
Across Montenegro we're implementing EU-funded projects to develop child protection standards and services to support families. We've helped assess the local needs of vulnerable children, developed tailored services and built links between all the agencies involved in supporting families and children.
Furthermore, we're promoting family-based care and improving the quality of care offered to those in children's homes – particularly children with disabilities, Roma children and those in conflict with the law.
To learn more about our work in South East Europe, download the South East Europe regional brief (PDF 92KB).