The third meeting of the Steering Committee of the project “Prevent bullying and violence in schools in Montenegro” was held in Podgorica on 20 November, bringing together representatives of key institutions and organisations engaged in preventing violence against and among children.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the German Embassy, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family and Demography, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, the Bureau for Education Services and the NGO Parents.

In her opening remarks, Lejla Dervišagić, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, emphasised that violence in schools, particularly peer violence, is a challenge that cannot be ignored, as it creates an environment of fear and insecurity and undermines the fundamental rights of every pupil. “It is our shared responsibility to ensure a safe educational environment in which human rights are respected, and violence is not, and will not be, tolerated,” Dervišagić stated.

The meeting was opened by Vesna Atanasova, Head of the Formal and Non-Formal Education Unit within the Council of Europe’s Education Department in Strasbourg. She stressed that the project is of crucial importance, as it addresses one of the key challenges affecting the mental health and well-being of young people. Atanasova also announced that the Council of Europe will continue to support the development of a safe, inclusive and high-quality education system, enabling all pupils to learn and grow in a secure environment.

The meeting served as an opportunity to review the activities implemented to date and to present plans for the next phase. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, as the project’s main partner, presented its ongoing work in the field of violence prevention within the education system. Special attention was given to the presentation of preliminary findings of the research on school violence in Montenegro, which will serve as a basis for further policy development and targeted interventions. The upcoming period will focus on further development of educational materials and platforms, strengthening preventive programmes and fostering dialogue on creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all children. Steering Committee members also presented their activities and discussed opportunities for enhancing cross-sector cooperation and joint initiatives.

The meeting was also attended by members of a delegation from Serbia, which is in the final phase of implementing the project “Prevention of Peer Violence in Schools in Serbia”, also carried out by the Council of Europe with support from Germany. The delegation included representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Education, the Institute for the Improvement of Education, and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade.

The day before the Steering Committee meeting, the Serbian team held working meetings with counterparts from Montenegro, from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the Bureau for Education Services. These meetings focused on the exchange of experiences, solutions and challenges in preventing school violence, as well as on broader efforts to improve the quality of education. Both delegations agreed that such events are of significant importance, as they strengthen regional cooperation and enable the sharing of good practices.

The project “Prevent bullying and violence in schools in Montenegro” is implemented by the Council of Europe with financial support from the Federal Republic of Germany.