The European Union and the Council of Europe are committed to advancing gender equality in the justice sector. Gender equality is at the heart of the Gender Equality Strategy 2020 – 2025 and represents one of the six objectives of the Council of Europe Strategy for Gender Equality 2018-2023. It is also anchored in the European Union’s Women's Empowerment in External Action 2021–2025 (GAP III) and the Council of Europe Plan of Action on Strengthening Judicial Independence and Impartiality, adopted in April 2016.
In line with one of the objectives of the Gender Equality Strategy which is to achieve gender mainstreaming in all policies and measures, the joint European Union and Council of Europe action "Accountability and professionalism of the judicial system in Montenegro" has prepared a comprehensive Study on Gender Equality in the Judiciary in Montenegro, in close co-operation with the Supreme Court of Montenegro. To address specific gender issues, various research methods have been used in the preparation of the Study, including anonymised online survey, interviews with judges and judicial staff members at different court instances, and focus groups with judicial stakeholders.
The draft Gender Study was presented and discussed with judicial stakeholders at the round table held in July 2022. Based on the comments received, the final version of the Study has been prepared and recently published and disseminated to a wide range of stakeholders dealing with gender equality and judicial reform. The Council of Europe will continue to follow the implementation of the proposed recommendations, in order to further contribute to gender mainstreaming of judicial policies and practices in Montenegro.
The Gender Study has been published under the action “Accountability and professionalism of the judicial system in Montenegro” which is a part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe Programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019 – 2022”.
Study on Gender Equality in the Judiciary in Montenegro
