OSCE Mission to Montenegro provides technical support to shelters for survivors of domestic violence against women

On 16 December, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro provided support to Women’s Safe House and SOS Podgorica, NGOs that operate shelters for victims of domestic violence. Support to Women’s Safe House will enable it to develop a register of violence cases while support to SOS Podgorica, which includes surveillance equipment, will provide additional security to its residents.

Budislavka Mira Saveljić, Executive Director of the NGO Women’s Safe House, emphasized that the systematic data collection is a significant component in processing cases of violence against women and one of the essential technical prerequisites for effective analysis of policy implementation and identification of trends for awareness raising and advocacy purposes. “The electronic database will ease the work of our professionals, as well as data collection from the survivors of the violence,” stated Saveljić.

Biljana Zeković, Executive Director of NGO SOS Podgorica underlined that the surveillance equipment will contribute to improved safety of the shelter users. “Security measures are crucial in the shelters to ensure protection and to encourage women so they can feel comfortable and safe in reflecting on their situation, recovering from abuse and making plans for the future,” said Zeković.

Dominique Waag, Head of the Mission, stressed that shelters are essential in providing the range of protection and support services necessary to help and protect survivors. “The need for accommodation is often the most urgent and critical one for survivors. I am confident that this equipment will ensure that the shelters remain a safe haven for women and their children,” emphasized Waag.

Three NGOs that have been supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro project in 2022, including Women’s Safe House and SOS Podgorica, were able to obtain national licenses for shelters for women with experience of violence. Mission will continue to co-operate with civil society and institutions in ensuring zero tolerance policy towards violence against women.