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CURRENT ACTIVITIES |
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ACTIVITIES IN 2009: |
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1. Monitoring Minority Right to Employment in Public Institutions
(Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Podgorica) EUR 9,450
The project includes a survey intended to show the extent of the exercise of the minorities' right to employment in the public administration in Montenegro. Analysis of the existing legislative framework and local and international regulations will provide an overview of the situation that will generate recommendations for amending the legislation. In addition, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights will organize quantitative and qualitative analysis of members of minorities working in the public administration, both at the national (ministries, administrations, directorates, agencies) and local level (branch offices, bureaues, departments etc.). The survey should include around fifty institutions; four municipalitis where minorities constitute the majority of population will provide the monitoring sample at the local level (Ulcinj, Rožaje, Kotor and Pljevlja).
[The project was also allocated EUR 5,498 from the PALG Program, its total budget EUR 14,948.]
1. Conference: Justice in the Balkans: Equality for Sexual Minorities
(DAAD Montenegro Alumni Club) EUR 9,942.30
The project includes organization of an international academic conference that should outline the measures to undertake in the Western Balkans to implement the international standards concerning the rights related to sexual orientation and human rights in general.
The conference is supported by: Lund University - Department of Sociology of Law, Sweden; Williams Institute - UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, USA; German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD, Germany, and the Ministry for the Protection of Human and Minority Rights of Montenegro. The conference will take place at the Faculty of Political Science.
Publication: Justice in the Balkans: Equality for Sexual Minorities - Out of the darkness
2. Upgrading the System of Electoral Campaign Financing in Montenegro – Stage II
(NGO Monitoring Center, Podgorica) EUR 11,747.53
This is a continuation (stage II) of the CEMI project implemented from June to the end of 2009. The project focuses on: putting the regulations pertaining to the work of the National Electoral Commission in compliance with the international standards on control over political party finance; better efficiency in figthing against misuse of state resources; support to the NEC in implementing the measures from the revised Action Plan to Fight Corruption and Organized Crime and meeting possible new obligations; ensuring more efficiency in implementing the provisions from the Law on Financing of Political Parties.
The project represents the Foundation’s continued support to CEMI’s activities in the area of improving transparency and poltiical accountability in political party finance in Montenegro carried out in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
[The project has been allocated EUR 11,747.53 by the network Human Rights Governance Grants Program, so that its total budget equals EUR 23,495.06]
1. Free Access to Information on Local Government Performance in 2009
(NGO MANS, Podgorica) EUR 12,840
MANS has designed a follow-up to the project Free Access to Information on the Work of Local Government for the purpose of further work on structuring the existing databases on the work of local authorities.
Citizens in Bar, Tivat, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Berane, Žabljak, Rožaje, Kolašin, Mojkovac, Plav, Plužine and Šavnik will have a more detailed overview of main information concerning the organization, performance and operation of local authorities. In the municipalities of Budva, Kotor, Herceg Novi, Ulcinj, Bijelo Polje and Podgorica such information, already collected and organized, will be regularly updated and completed, within the follow-up project, based on additional requests for access to information and responses to such requests.
The project should encourage local authorities to post all information of importance for the general public on their internet pages, so as to enable concerned citizens to access information without having to file a request.
[The project was also allocated EUR 1,000 from the PALG Program, its total budget EUR 13,840]
2. Internet Presentation of the Law on Free Access to Information
(Montenegro Media Institute, Podgorica) EUR 2,637
The project aims to encourage citizens to exercise the right to free access to information held by national and local authorities and government institutions.
The Law on Free Access to Information will be promoted using the blog "Be Free, Get Access to Information" on www.pcnen.com (Montenegro’s First Independent E-Magazine).
Within the preparatory activities for starting this thematic blog, Montenegro Media Institute will organize a three-day training on blogging ethics for young journalists, NGO activists and representatives of state authorities. The project includes writing four introductory blogs on free access to information by a journalist, civil sector activist and representatives of state authorities already working on promoting this Law.
3. Engagement of Marijana Trivunović as Consultant for Defining Further FOSI ROM Activities in the Area of Anti-Corruption
(in-house project) EUR 3,608.51
The project refers to engaging Marijana Trivunović as a consultant on anti-corruption issues, studies, analyses, methodologies for identification, as well as legal, institutional and educational measures for suppressing corruption.
The consultant’s success in her work as consultant to CEMI stongly recommends her for this task, as she helped this NGO define the course of action in the domain of financing of political parties; the activity in question was supported by FOSI ROM.
Mrs. Trivunović will help FOSI ROM analyze the current situation with regard to anti-corruption in Montenegro and identify future courses of action.
1. Civil-Law Mechanisms for the Protection of Human Rights Guaranteed by the European Convention and Its Protocols in Montenegro
(NGO Montenegrin Helsinki Commitee) EUR 5,507.29
The project includes activities to analyze and assess the existing mechanisms of protection in the domain of human rights. Relevant case law will be analyzed and compared with the standards envisaged in the key international documents on human rights and the standards established by case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
Based on the findings, Montenegrin Helsinki Commitee will suggest amendments to Montenegrin legislation. Special attention will be paid to the room for introducing new legal instruments for direct protection of human rights guaranteed by the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its Protocols.
[The project will use the funds that remained from the Conference on Human Rights in Independent Montenegro: Challenges]
2. My Life
(Montenegro Media Institute) EUR 2,000
This new TV program from the series My life is devoted to socially vulnerable groups. It is intended to present three young people living a full and active life despite the physical handicap - Marijana Mugoša and Goran Macanović are blind, while their friend Zoran is in wheelchair.
The program aims to highlight the universal moral values such as tolerance, solidarity, humanity and courage, and to encourage the public to accept people with disabilities without discrimination or prejudice, with full respect for human rights.
[The project has been allocated EUR 3,403.50 from the European program, its total budget EUR 5,403.50]
1. Integration of Minorities in the Montenegrin Society - Additional Funds
(NGO Nansen Dialog Center, Podgorica) EUR 4,352.63
The original project was approved in 2008 and the additional amount in February 2009.
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Ulcinj, 18-20 December, 2009 - "Follow-up" seminar
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Tuzi, 27 May, 2009 - Third workshop
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Bar, 27 April, 2009 -
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Ulcinj, 1 March, 2009 - First workshop
2. Study on the Mechanisms to Oversee the Implementation of Human Rights in Montenegro
(Association of NGOs Libertask) EUR 11,288.50
The project aims to inform all the stakeholders about the existing mechanisms for implementation of human rights in Montenegro and the possibilities for their improvement.
Libertask will organize focus groups to identify the problems related to the approach to reporting on minority rights in state institutions and the NGO sector. In addition, a round table will be organized for the representatives of target groups, who are\expected to provide comments and recommendations concerning the first draft of the study. The findings will be published in the study "Mechanisms to Monitor the Implementation of Human Rights in Montenegro".
The project contributes to participation of all relevant agents in empowering minority groups to develop their potential and take constructive action in their communities.
3. Monitoring the Implementation of the Right of Minority Groups to Information in their Mother Tongue
(Youth Initiative for Human Rights) EUR 7,358.87
The project aims to assess the implementation of international standards and local regulations concerning the minority right to information in their mother tongue.
The Youth Initiative for Human Rights will carry out the project in 2009, covering five municipalities that have a significant share of minority population. Their activists will monitor the information in minority languages and the share of programs presenting their life, culture and tradition at all levels of the public media service, local to national.
The findings will be published and will provide the basis for future activites in this field.
[The project was also allocated EUR 7,381.13 from the PALG Program, its total budget EUR 14,740]
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MEDIA COVERAGE:
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"OneWorld Patform for South East Europe" - 19.03.2009.
IMPLEMENTATION OF MINORITIES' RIGHT TO INFORMATION IN MOTHER TONGUE
4. Establishing a Quality System to Protect Women Victims of Violence through Effective Application of Article 220 of of the Criminal Code
(SOS Phone for Women and Children Victims of Violence, Podgorica) EUR 14,385.30
The project refers to comprehensive monitoring of application of Article 220 in the Criminal Code of Montenegro, which identifies family violence as a criminal offence.
The experience of the SOS Phone activists suggests the need for positive legislation, better enforcement of the given Article, more efficient sanctioning of perpetrators and better treatment of at risk individuals in institutions.
The project includes a detailed analysis of legislation and international legal standards on protection from family violence and assesses the way these are addressed by the social services, police, judiciary and NGOs. The findings will be published as a separate publication, to be delivered to all institutions relevant for consistent enforcement of Article 220.
[The project has been allocated EUR 10,000.00 from the Women's program, its total budget EUR 24,385.30]
5. Monitoring Potential Misuse of Administrative Resources in the 2009 Election Campaign
(NGO Monitoring Center, Podgorica) EUR 8,185.50
Within the project Upgrading the System for Election Campaign Financing in Montenegro. CEMI developed a specific methodology for monitoring misuse of administrative resources in the election processes. The methodology will be applied for the first time for the purpose of monitoring the campaign for the March 2009 parliamentary elections.
Results of the monitoring will be presented in the Report, which will be issued in 200 copies and distributed to all the participants in the election process. The Report will be presented at a press conference, which will conclude the project.