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Voice Your Rights! – Expanding space for free assemblies

Freedom of peaceful assembly is an individual right that is always expressed in a collective manner. The Law on Public Assemblies, adopted in 2016, introduced improvements in respect of freedom of assembly in Montenegro. However, both police officers and protest organisers, as well as society in general, are still not properly informed about the new legislative solutions.

This project aims to contribute to the development and consolidation of democracy and respect for fundamental freedoms, particularly by enabling an environment that is conducive to free assembly in Montenegro. It is expected to contribute to citizens being better informed about their rights and obligations in respect of the right to free assembly, while helping to enhance the capacities of key stakeholders to organise, oversee and exercise the right to free assembly.

Additionally, the project “’Voice Your Rights! – Expanding Space for Free Assemblies” will provide support to civil society organisations (CSOs) to carry out actions in the area of monitoring and awareness-raising of the right to free assembly at the local level. The following four CSOs have been directly supported through a sub-granting scheme:

  • Media Centre (project: “Professional reporting on public gatherings”, budget: €9,467.50);
  • Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro (project: “Journalists for freedom of assembly”, budget: €8,772.50);
  • Center for Civic Liberties – CEGAS (project: “Freedom of assembly between local governments and the Constitution of Montenegro”, budget: €9,830.00);
  • LGBTIQ Social Centre (project: “Freedom of assembly of LGBTQ persons at the local level”, budget: €6,120.00).

In addition to financial support, the organisations have also been provided with a capacity building programme in the areas of project management and monitoring of the right to freedom of assembly.

Project name:

Voice Your Rights! – Expanding space for free assemblies

Sector:

  • Human Rights

Start time:

01/12/2019

End time:

01/05/2021

Location:

Montenegro

Budget:

129630.80€

Beneficiary:

Institute Alternative (IA)
Human Rights Action (HRA)

More info:

https://institut-alternativa.org/en/tag/voice-your-rights/
https://www.facebook.com/IAThinkTank
https://twitter.com/ia_alternativa

News:

Additonal materials:

Grants

Improving the capacity and sustainability of the Center for the Children’s Rights of Montenegro

  • It was implemented by the Center for Children’s Rights Podgorica, with an aim to develop a fundraising strategy for the organisational sustainability; and create preconditions for obtaining the License for Supported Housing Service for youth upon leaving the home “Mladost” in Bijela, for children without parental care. Through development and launching of a web portal for online consultations, the Center for Children’s Rights Podgorica additionally innovated its services in accordance to the needs of beneficiaries. The organisation also amended its strategic documents with the “Strategy for Fundraising Action Plan”, developed by an expert.
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Improving Community Living Support Services using assistive technology

  • It was implemented by the Association of parents of children with disabilities- “Zracak nade” Pljevlja, with an aim to develop community living service by using assistive technology and preparing the program for official accreditation with relevant authorities. During its implementation period, a special conference on assistive technology was organized in Podgorica. Thanks to the use of assistive technology, the quality of the services of the organisation was improved and the Program for the use of assistive technology in working with children and youth with disabilities in associations and institutions of social care was developed and accredited.
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Strengthening the capacity of Ecological movement Ozon

  • It was implemented by the Ecological movement “OZON” Niksic, with an aim to enhance the capacity of the organisation and other stakeholders involved in the negotiation process for Chapter 27 on Environment. With this sub-grant, visibility and media presence of the organisation increased, as well as its organisational capacity. Knowledge and skills of the OZON’s staff and associates improved in the areas of circular economy, waste management, eco-psychology, effective communication and information dissemination. Also, 2 directions of potential income-generating activities were identified: managing protected areas; and providing consultancy services regarding information and public participation in decision-making and eco-strategic marketing.
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Establishing a home-care assistance service for children and youth with disabilities and strengthening the capacity of Nardos

  • It was implemented by the National Association of Parents of Children and Youth with Disabilities in Montenegro – NARDOS Podgorica, with an aim to enhance capacity of the organisation and develop home-care assistance service to meet the standards needed for its official accreditation by the relevant state authority. Through this sub-grant, the NARDOS worked on standardization of home-care assistance service for children and adults with disabilities. It also supported development of the training program for this service. Final activity of the sub-grant was piloting the service for the duration of two months. It resulted in so-called monitoring lists, which served as the base for developing individualized work plans for seven beneficiaries.
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Improving the organisational capacity of Local Democracy Agency

  • It was implemented by the Agency for Local Democracy Niksic (LDA), with an aim to enhance capacity of the organisation, develop a research pool and design transparency index for local self-governments. With this sub-grant, the LDA made significant progress in re-organising itself. Its basic strategic documents (statute, strategic plan, fundraising strategy and media plan) were re-defined; and better visibility and communication with the media and general public were achieved. Also, the LDA introduced innovative mechanisms to support youth participation in decision-making processes and developed methodology for measuring the transparency of the work of local self-governments in Montenegro.

All = In Access 2 Justice – All equal in access to justice

  • It was implemented by the Association of Youth with Disabilities Montenegro in order to contribute to the development of policies and increase standards in the area of protection of vulnerable groups (primarily persons with disabilities (PWDs)) through advocating for equal rights and equality of parties before Montenegrin courts. This sub-grant helped increase awareness of key stakeholders and the general public about the need for equal access to justice for PWDs.
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Presumption of Innocence or Presumption of Guilt?

  • It was implemented by the Society of professional journalists Montenegro, with an aim to improve the media's respect for the presumption of innocence when reporting on criminal proceedings in Montenegro, with a special focus on criminal proceedings against juveniles. Within this sub-grant a detailed survey was conducted on compliance with the presumption of innocence in criminal proceedings against juveniles. Also, it analyzed compliance with the presumption of innocence in media coverage of criminal proceedings in Montenegro by the print media and Internet portals; and helped improve the level of information and knowledge of journalists on the obligation to respect the presumption of innocence when reporting.
Free-Media-through-Monitoring

Free Media through Monitoring

  • It was implemented by the Media Syndicate, with an aim to create a legal and social environment that provides freedom for journalists to do their job and generally a higher level of media freedom in Montenegro. More specifically, this sub-grant was aimed at reducing the level of self-censorship among journalists, by reducing the number of lawsuits for damage to honor and reputation and promoting alternative solutions. It resulted in established mechanisms for monitoring cases of violation of honor and reputation and improved capacity of the organization to monitor this issue in the future. Also, it increased public awareness of the level of self-censorship among journalists, and the impact it has on their work; as well as the number of lawsuits for violation of honor and reputation and the effect of intimidation they have on journalists.
Citizens-in-judicial-reform

Citizens in judicial reform

  • It was implemented by the Centre for Political Education, with an aim of achieving a higher level of knowledge among the citizens of Niksic about the work and competencies of judicial and prosecutorial instances in that municipality. With this sub-grant it was achieved a higher degree of publicity of the work of the Basic Prosecutor's Office and the Basic Court in Niksic. Also, it was achieved a better understanding among citizens what are the competencies of the judicial and prosecutorial instances, and what is the institute of free legal aid.

Voice Your Rights! – Expanding space for free assemblies

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Implemented by the NGO Monitor Center for Media and Democracy, with an aim to help reducing the level of peer violence against Roma youth. In order to raise awareness of peer violence against members of the Roma community, this sub-grant included production of several research articles. In the research process were also involved journalists from the Roma portal “Romalitika”.