There is no youth parliament in Montenegro.
 

The Children’s Parliament 20 is organized by the Parliament of Montenegro and the NGO Centre for the Rights of the Child. Sessions take place on an annual basis, on the occasion of the date of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (20 November). The first session was held in 2009. Members of the Children’s Parliament are primary and secondary school students, representatives of local children’s parliaments. Having in mind that this parliament also engages adolescents aged from 15-18, the Ministry of Sports and Youth supported the annual assembly of the Children’s Parliament in 2018.
 

This project is dedicated to the overall affirmation of children’s rights to participation and advocacy, as significant social needs and values. It is one of the ways of connecting the young population with the parliament. At the same time, it is a mechanism for promoting children’s rights and providing the opportunity to hear their voice in the highest legislature. In this way, the project creates the possibility for children to give their assessment on the respect of human rights in the family, school and community, and to point to the problems and need to be involved in decision making processes concerning children’s rights. In addition, pupils from different cities and regions have the opportunity to engage and promote the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child pointing out the need to respect the standards that it prescribes. Representatives of the parliament and ministers in the Government of Montenegro attend the sessions of the Children’s Parliament (in the Plenary Room of the parliament) together with mayors, correspondents and others.

Youth councils and/or youth advisory boards
 

There is a legal framework for establishment of the National and Local Youth Councils in Montenegro. However, there is currently no National Youth Council, although there are several local youth councils and other forms of representative youth assemblies (e.g. councils and unions). These are not part of the country’s constitutional order and, consequently, decisions taken in them do not have any legal implications. However, they serve various functions, such as the representation, consultation and education of young people.
 

The National Youth Council
 

The Law on Youth (2019) stipulates that: “In order to encourage the development of youth policy, the Ministry is forming the (National) Youth Council, as an expert and advisory body” (Article 16).
 

• Structure 
 

The National Youth Council of Montenegro (COF) http://youthsee.org/our-experiences/advocacy-our-experiances/recognition-of-cof-as-national-youth-council/  existed during the period of validity of the first youth strategy and action plan in Montenegro (National Youth Action Plan 2006-2011). The creation of COF was initiated in October 2010, further supported in June 2011 and completed in 2012. As an umbrella organization, COF has been involved in all important policy-making processes and consultations in the country. COF was not a member of the European Youth Forum.
 

• Composition 
 

The Law on Youth (2019, Article 16), defines the scope of representation within the national Youth Council stating that the Youth Council has a president and eight members. The president and three members are proposed by the ministry, and one member is nominated by the state administration bodies competent for labor and education, and these are elected for a period of four years. One member of the Youth Council is a representative of legal persons who manage youth services, and is elected for a period of one year, through a public call published by the ministry. A representative association of non-governmental organizations implementing the youth policy is proposed by two members of the Youth Council, out of which at least one is from the ranks of young people, and is elected for a period of one year. If a representative association of non-governmental organizations implementing youth policies has not been formed, two members of the Youth Council, among them at least one of the young people, are proposed by non-governmental organizations implementing the youth policy for a period of one year. Members of the Youth Council nominated by nongovernmental organizations implementing the youth policy are those who have the support of the largest number of non-governmental organizations and are selected through the public call launched by the ministry. The conditions, method and procedure for selection of members of the Youth Council, proposed by the representative association of non-governmental organizations that implement youth policy, non-governmental organizations that implement youth policy and the member of the council who is a representative of legal entities that manage youth services, are prescribed by the ministry.
 

• Role and responsibilities
 

According to the Law on Youth (2019), competences of the Youth Council are: “to make proposals for the improvement of youth policy; give suggestions in the process of preparing the strategy; delegate its representative to participate in the process of law drafting in the areas in which matters are settled of importance for young people; monitor the situation of young people and propose measures for their improvement; and, at the request of the Minister of Sports, give opinion on other issues of importance to young people”. Administrative and technical tasks for the work of the Youth Council are carried out by the ministry.

• Funding
 

The Act on establishment of the Youth Council regulates the way of work and other issues of importance for the work of the Council (the Law on Youth 2019).
Youth councils and/or youth advisory boards
 

• Structure
 

The Local Youth Council is an independent and advisory body that is established by the competent municipal body, with the goals of promoting and improving the development of youth policy, monitoring and evaluating the municipal strategy, strengthening co-operation and improving the position of young people at the local level. Out of all Montenegrin municipalities, only the capital city, Podgorica, has a local youth council. Although they are not recognized by the Law on Youth, there are local youth-led councils in the municipalities of Berane, Pljevlja and Cetinje, as youth representative bodies that represent the interests of young people in local government.
 

• Composition
 

The Local Youth Council (Law on Youth 2019, Article 18) https://wapi.gov.me/download/d2efe191-df35-439c-985c-48b2060eb425?version=1.0 is composed of representatives of the municipal authority responsible for youth policy and non-governmental organizations implementing youth policy. At least one member of the council referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article is a representative of non-governmental organizations implementing the youth policy. A representative of non-governmental organizations implementing the youth policy is a person who has a sponsor of a number of organizations in the organization of a public call. The number, composition, method of election and work of councils of the next issues of importance for its work are regulated by the Act on the Establishment of a Local Youth Council.
 

• Role and responsibilities
 

In order to encourage and improve the development of youth policy, strengthening of co-operation and the improvement of the position of youth at the local level, the local youth council can be formed in the municipality as an expert advisory body (the Law on Youth 2019, Article 18).
 

• Funding
 

The Act on Establishment of the Local Council on Youth shall more closely define the composition, number of members, financing, modus operandi and decision making, as well as other issues of importance for the work of the Council on Youth (the Law on Youth 2019, Article 18).

Higher education student union(s)
 

Please indicate if there is a body representing the interests of tertiary education students in your country. Yes.
The Law on Higher Education https://www.gov.me/dokumenta/45683d7c-1b7b-4747-bbba-4dd0439d2ef6 defines the rights and obligations of students and the work of the student parliament and student organizations. The law states that student members are participating in the work of the university senate (expert body).
 

• Student parliaments https://spucg.ucg.ac.me/ represent student bodies representing and defending attitudes and interests of students of a particular faculty. The student parliament aims to involve young people as much as possible in the decision making and decision-making process through the formal education system. The president and other members of the student parliament are elected by all students of a given faculty. The student parliament represents the faculty (and its university) at the national and international level. It also takes care of maintaining a high-quality student standard by obtaining various types of student benefits (student cards, student loans, etc.), as well as influencing the faculty policy itself in terms of approving corrective deadlines, creating better relationships with professors, organizing public meetings and debates, organizing trips and excursions, informing students about the possibilities of obtaining scholarships for studying abroad, etc.
 

The Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro (state university) https://esu-online.org/members/montenegro-spum/
The statute23 regulates the organization and activity of the Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro (hereinafter: the Student Parliament), the authority and the manner of deciding its bodies, the method of selecting student representatives in the organs of the university, or the organs of its organizational units, the organization and work of student councils as well as other issues of importance for the work of the Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro (Article 1).
The Student Parliament of the University “Mediteran" (private university)
https://unimediteran.net/univerzitet/bodies/management/students-parliament/?lang=en
 

The statute24 (Article 1) shall regulate the organization and activity of the Student Parliament of the University “Mediteran” (hereinafter: the student parliament), the powers and the manner of deciding its bodies, the manner of election of student representatives into the bodies of the University “Mediteran” (hereinafter: the university) bodies of its organizational units, organization and work of student councils, as well as other issues of importance for the work of the student parliament.

Structure and composition
 

Structure of the student parliament (Article 13): president; executive board; student commissioner at the university; student councils; and student ombudsman of the University of Montenegro. The student parliament’s managing authority is the Assembly of the Student Parliament (hereinafter: the assembly) (Article 14). The student parliament consists of student representatives from all units of the university. The number of members of the assembly is defined by special rules. The student parliament of the University of Montenegro performs its activities in the units of the university through student councils and student commissioners at the university units (Article 47). 
The structure of the Student Parliament of the University “Mediteran" (Article 13): The bodies of the student parliament are: president; executive board; student commissioner at the university.


Role and responsibilities
 

The activities of the Student parliament of the University of Montenegro are (Article 2): realization and protection of the rights and interests of students; launching initiatives for the adoption or amendment of regulations of interest for students; launching an initiative to consider issues of interest to students at sessions of the council and the steering committee; consideration of issues and implementation of programmes in the field of higher education, science, culture and other areas of relevance to students; consideration of issues and implementation of programmes of importance for the socio-economic situation of students; co-operation with institutions and organizations of importance for the position of students; performing other activities in accordance with the Law on Higher Education and the Statute of the University of Montenegro.
The founder of the student parliament is the University of Montenegro (Article 3). The elections for the members of the student parliament shall be carried out every two years, during the winter semester. Elections are announced by the president of the student parliament in October. The elections are conducted and controlled by the University Electoral Commission formed by the Senate of the University of Montenegro, on the proposal of the student parliament (Article 10).
The activities of the Student parliament of the University of Mediteran are (Article 2): realization and protection of rights and interests of students; initiating initiatives for passing or changing regulations of interest for students; launching an initiative to consider issues of interest to students at sessions of the senate and the steering committee; discussing issues and implementing programmes in the field of higher education, science, culture and other areas of importance for students; discussing issues and implementing programmes of importance for the socio-economic situation of students; co-operation with institutions and organizations of importance for the position of students; performing other activities in accordance with the Law on Higher Education and the Statute of the University.
The founder of the Student parliament of the University of Mediteran is the university. The student parliament was established as an internal organizational unit of the university in 2007 (Article 3). The activities of the student parliament are based on the principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination based on race, gender, religion, political or other belief (Article 8). All students of the university have the right to nominate candidates for the student parliament and vote in the elections. Students have the right to apply for candidacy after the second year of study (Article 9). Elections for members of the student parliament are held every year during the winter semester. Elections are announced by the president of the parliament in September. The elections are conducted and controlled by the University Electoral Commission formed by the university, on the proposal of the parliament (Article 10).

Funding
 

The Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro is financed from funds received from (Article 69): the University of Montenegro, the competent ministry, state institutions, domestic and foreign donors, own activities, jobs and projects. The annual financial plan of the Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro shall be adopted by the assembly by a two-thirds majority of the total number of members, on the proposal of the executive board, with a mandatory financial report every four months (Article 65). Control of the distribution of funds is carried out by the assembly on the basis of reports submitted every four months. The final account for the past year is adopted by the parliament of the Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro (Article 66). The decisions on financing are made by the assembly of the Student Parliament of the University of Montenegro, in accordance with the adopted financial plan. The executive board performs the distribution of funds in accordance with the adopted financial plan (Article 67).

Financial assets and control (Article 64) of the Student Parliament of the University “Mediteran“ http://fvu.unimediteran.net/fajlovi/razno/Statut_Stu_Parlaiment.pdf : The student parliament is financed from the funds received from the university, the founder of the university, domestic and foreign donors, own activities, jobs and projects. The annual financial plan of the student parliament is passed by the student parliament by a two-thirds majority of the total number of members, on the proposal of the executive board (Article 60). The decisions on funding are made by the student parliament, in accordance with the adopted financial salary. The executive board carries out the distribution of financial assets in accordance with the adopted financial plan (Article 62).

School student union(s)
 

The Montenegrin legislative and strategic framework governing the issue of student/pupil’s parliaments, as bodies through which pupils can participate in decision-making processes in their school, extends through the General Law on Education, the Law on Youth, the strategy of civic education and civic education in primary and secondary schools in Montenegro, as well as through the statutes of all secondary schools.
The General Law on Education file: defines participation of students/pupils as “free” activities of students which are realized through: “students’ unions, sections, clubs, associations and other forms. Student co-operatives may also be organized by schools”. In Montenegro, there are many active student parliaments in high schools. According to the law (Article 96/9): “Students of a school class form a class unit; pupils of all school departments form a pupil’s parliament; the powers and manner of work of the pupils’ parliament are determined more closely by the school statute”. Furthermore, the rights of students are also regulated in this Act (Article 97): “Representatives of the pupils’ parliament have the right to participate in the work of professional bodies of the school when discussing issues of interest to pupils (student standards, free activities, etc.)”. This law represents the basis of legal regulation of pupils’ parliaments in secondary schools.
•         Students’/pupils’ parliaments https://pjp-eu.coe.int/documents/42128013/58896112/Montenegro-Youth-Wiki-Chapter-5.pdf/23e362be-9eda-09e8-11c7-e90bcbe1d083 represent a pupil performing body within the schools of Montenegro, made up of pupils themselves. The former name for the students’/pupils’ parliament was a “student community”. Their establishment is legally guaranteed, and the school within which the pupils’ parliament operates is obliged to provide freedom of organization. The pupils’ parliament aims to protect and promote the rights of students, and to encourage youth activism. In addition, the students’ parliament plays a very important role in maintaining a good-quality student–teacher relationship, but also in establishing co-operation between the school and all other institutions and organizations dealing with youth. In Montenegro, pupils’ parliaments exist in secondary schools, but they do not function in each school equally well. In some schools, they exist only formally, while in others, they have many activities that deserve all praise (work on school newspapers, celebrating important dates for young people, organizing excursions, school performances and events, etc.).
•         Union of high school students of Montenegro https://unscg.me/:27 The UNSCG is a non-governmental and nonprofit youth association, which represents the umbrella organization of high-school parliaments established in March 2015. The UNSCG consists of the Assembly (composed of over 100 delegates), the steering committee, general secretariat, and the advisory board. Goals of the UNSCG are: to promote the participation of secondary school students in decision-making processes relating to all aspects of their life, with an emphasis on the education system; and to promote contemporary trends in education, youth activism and commerce in these areas through education based on international co-operation; self-sustainability. The vision of the UNSCG is a society in which the young pillar of development and every high-school student has the opportunity to realize their potential and aspirations. The mission of the UNSCG is to enable and create a unique, secure and confidential umbrella community of all pupils’ parliaments in Montenegro with the purpose of promoting the importance of the participation of secondary school students in decision-making processes relating to all aspects of their education; strengthening the democratic potential of young people, engaging in contemporary trends of youth activism, all through various forms of education, and international co-operation.
 

The UNSCG, with the financial support of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, coordinates the work of the Youth Center https://nvoinfo.me/item/centar-za-mlade-proactive/ in Podgorica The youth center was opened in February 2017 by the Ministry of Sport (Directorate for Youth) in cooperation with the capital city (Podgorica) and with the support of the United Nations System in Montenegro. The youth center is a cultural and educational space intended exclusively for young people aged 15-30 with the aim of encouraging them to take an active part in the life of the community and enable them to spend their free time in a quality way. The UNICEF Youth Innovation Laboratory is located in the youth center. The youth center has previously hosted the Regional Office for Youth Co-operation (RYCO) local branch office for Montenegro.

Other bodies
 

• Association of non-governmental organizations and associations that implement youth policy: The Law on Youth (2019) defines rules for their establishment, stating that “nongovernmental organizations that implement youth policy can form an alliance of these nongovernmental organizations, in accordance with the Law on establishment of NGOs” (Article 20). A representative association, for the purposes of this law, is an alliance comprising several nongovernmental organizations implementing youth policies (at least 30 from at least six municipalities). The ministry defines the representativeness of the federation of nongovernmental organizations for a period of one year by issuing a certificate of representativeness. 
 

• Youth organizations of political parties: represent the youth of a political movement or party. Their main task is to engage young people who represent the basic principles of the party to their generation and bring together young people within their political party. Youth branches of political parties usually deal with young people’s issues, especially family and education issues, student policies, social issues, as well as employment issues and youth housing policies. 
 

• Trade unions: in Montenegro there are only two youth unions representing a branch (section) of their union (they are not therefore independent bodies). The aim of youth trade unions is to improve the position of young people and increase the representation of young people in trade union commissions and decision-making bodies. They are engaged in improving the position of young people in the labor market and solving the problems that young workers face. The field of trade union activity is the youth employment policy, its compliance with EU legislation, the prevention of mobbing and the like. 
 

• Other forms of involving young people in the development of society in Montenegro are: sports organizations, cultural-artistic associations, the Red Cross of Montenegro, religious organizations etc. According to the Law on Youth (2019), there are also different types of youth services (i.e. youth clubs and youth centers) providing space for development of democratic capacities of young people. There is one Youth Centre (in Podgorica) and 11 youth clubs in municipalities across Montenegro at the moment (including Tivat Youth Club; Budva Youth Space; Youth Corner Ulcinj; Cetinje Youth Club; Youth Club - Gymnasium “Slobodan Skerovic” Podgorica; Youth Club - JU Tuzi; Youth Club Vocational High School “Ivan Uskokovic”; Youth Club School of Economics “Mirko Vesovic” Podgorica; Youth space within the Office of Youth - Berane; Mojkovac Youth Club; and Pljevlja Youth Club).