Podgorica, 10 July 2025 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, has been actively supporting women’s participation in political life for two decades.

From the introduction of the first quotas in 2011 and their amendments in 2014, to supporting the formation of the first women’s organizations within political parties and securing funding for their work through the Law on Financing Political Parties, as well as ongoing support for networking among women, achieving gender equality in the political life of Montenegro remains a strong priority for UNDP’s work.

UNDP welcomes yesterday’s session of the Committee on Gender Equality, held at the Parliament of Montenegro, where the proposal to introduce a 40% quota for the less represented gender was raised—an important step toward advancing gender equality in the political life of the country.

Women have once again demonstrated determination and consistency in rightfully advocating for the electoral reform to include a 40% quota for the less represented gender, along with measures obliging that at least one out of every three candidates on electoral lists must be a woman, and sanctions for non-compliance with these requirements.

This demand by the Committee on Gender Equality, supported by members of the Women’s Political Network and the Women’s Leadership Network, represents a significant step forward in achieving genuine political equality.

The trend of women networking across various spheres of social life is becoming part of a strong social movement, and UNDP remains committed to providing full support in achieving the objectives set out in the Gender Equality Strategy. This movement, founded on solidarity and collective action, represents a true guarantee for sustainable societal development and progress toward gender equality.

Although significant progress has been made, serious challenges remain in achieving women’s full rights, including structural discrimination, exclusion of women from decision-making, lack of adequate financial support, and violence against women in the public and political sphere. These challenges must not become obstacles to further progress. On the contrary, joint efforts by women and men, alongside strong women’s networks, form the foundation for building a society of equal opportunities.

UNDP commends the efforts of all relevant actors who advocate for improving gender equality through the Law on the Election of Councillors and Members of Parliament. The initiative to introduce a 40% quota in the Parliament of Montenegro, coupled with sanctions for non-compliance, is a concrete step towards achieving sustainable change. At UNDP, we believe that only through policies that equally include all citizens - both women and men - can we achieve just and sustainable development.

Watch an illustrative video about the status of women in Montenegro on our YouTube channel: