Insight view

10 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE - INSIGHT VIEW
More boys in all municipalities
In most municipalities in Montenegro there are more boys than girls. In 2003, the biggest difference
was in Kotor with 110 boys on 100 girls, while in 2011 there was even higher difference in Bar, Herceg
Novi and Rožaje with 111 boys on 100 girls, in Danilovgrad and Berane with 110 and Budva, Kotor, Mojkovac
and Podgorica with 109 boys on 100 girls.
Judging by the material investments, but more by reforms procedures education is the sector
where progress has been made. Almost 3,802 childern (5%) of primary school age, children do
not attend school, while 5,313 children from 6-17 years old do not attend school also. According
to census from 2011, 443 children aged 15-17 have status of active employment (actively looking
for job and ready to start working if the job is offered to them in next two weeks), which represents
1.7% of all children that age. Out of this number, 58% are unemployed. Work of children in any
form of grey economy is related to material status of family. However, under strong impact of solidarity
of members of a family, this phenomena in Montenegro does not seem so difficult for
social status of a child, except in parts of the Roma population, which mostly faces poverty and
where the problem of children beggary is very emphasized. Study of the UNICEF is stating that
every tenth child in Montenegro, up to 17 years old, has lived in poverty through 2009. Having in
mind that poverty is more frequent and deeper trend among children, they are considered extremely
vulnerable category.
Centres for social work in majority do not have accurate evidence on cases of child-begging. Children
found begging are more often male and aged 10-13. The biggest number of cases of minors'
begging, according to results of Ombudsman Institute from 2011, has been noted in Bar (37%),
Berane and Andrijevica (34%) and Podgorica (15%).
Problem of drugs and alcohol use is becoming serious problem that requires urgent reaction of
both family and all institutions of the system. Research
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of NGO Juventas indicates that 84% of questioned has
first time tried psycho-active substances when younger
than 18, while 44% tried them when aged less then 15.
Problem of availability of narcotics in school yards is
being actualised lately.
Children of Roma population largely face
with poverty
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Observing the period from restoring independence until nowadays,
there is some progress in the field of legislation in regard
to respecting of rights of children in Montenegro. However, evident
problems indicate necessity of taking more concrete step.