The list of demands handed over to the authorities: We must react, we must not allow another child to suffer

Organized by the association Parents, a protest against violence among children was held in Podgorica, which was announced earlier due to frequent cases of peer violence in Montenegro.
Citizens gathered on Independence Square, from where they walked to the Government building, where they handed over a letter to the authorities in which a number of their requests for solving the problem of violence were presented.
They presented a list of demands that they believe must be urgently taken into consideration in order for the country to send a message that it is stronger than violence.
They proposed:
- Emergency session of the Council for the Rights of the Child on measures to prevent and suppress violence among and against children in Montenegro;
- Introducing new educational measures for offenders and a system of monitoring them and their families;
- Defining social services and support services for victims of violence and their families;
- Defining social services and programs for dealing with perpetrators of violence and their parents/guardians;
- Amendment of the legal regulations in a way that clearly defines the responsibility of parents/guardians, supervision and penalties for their non-compliance;
- Establishment of a system of supervision and control of the work of competent institutions - especially school administrations, and centers for social work, police, prosecutor's office, judiciary.
- Increased police supervision and daily visits and presence of police officers near schools;
- The beginning of the work of security guards in schools and the establishment of a video surveillance system in each school and their yards;
- Re-establishment and implementation of the Program for Suppression of Peer Violence and Vandalism in Schools;
- A systemic solution that will provide a greater number of professional workers in schools - psychologists, pedagogues, social workers... who will support the mental health of children and young people.
- A systemic solution that will provide a greater number of professional workers at the local level in counseling centers/mental health centers, who will provide psycho-social support to children and young people;
- Adoption of by-laws and the start of application of new provisions of the Criminal Code that refer to perpetrators of crimes against the sexual freedom of minors (establishment of a register, a system of supervision of perpetrators...).
As they stated, these are measures that they consider crucial, and they also expect that representatives of institutions and educational and professional workers contribute to the proposals based on their work experience.
"We must eradicate the evil of violence, everyone is responsible"
Those gathered said that their goal is to demand safe schools and streets on behalf of themselves and their children, as well as stricter punishments for the perpetrators, and they also demand their supervision. They are also looking for additional educational measures, decisive actions by authorities and the responsibility of institutions
- We must not let another child get hurt. Stop the violence against our children, we must react immediately - said Danijela Knežević.
The president of the Parents Association, Kristina Mihailović, points out that we will not get far as long as the responsibility is addressed from one to the other.
- The rain sent us an indirect message, to tell us - there is no such water that can wash us for everything we have not done and that, finally, it is 5 to 12 to do something. It is the right time to finally sit down and establish a system of responsibility together, she says.
She also asked what to do with institutions that write regulations and do not follow them themselves.
A teacher from Cetinje, Petar Špadijer, said that the overall social climate forces traditions from which we have extracted the worst instead of the best.
-Violence grows encouraged and encouraged from all sides. Schools used to be the only home that actively fights against violence on a daily basis. We appealed for the school policeman to return, but they told us that they don't have the manpower - said Špadijer.
Psychologist Radoje Cerović said that some people asked him why he came to the protest when "children play balls and fight and that always happened."
- And yes, there was always that - and why? Because you don't have a target and someone who is there to tell you how to play. We are not here to protest against nature, it is not unnatural for children to fight, but it is unnatural that we do not have institutions to guarantee compliance with the rules. The bottom line is that today we don't have those arbitrators and those institutions. Children feel the lack of authority and the degradation of those in positions to the lowest level - said Cerović.
As he said, the system was made in such a way that the enemy was created out of teachers.
- Children only like subjects they don't have in school. Everyone who thinks that we will solve this problem by referring to honor, we will not solve it that way, that's how we solved it in the Middle Ages - he pointed out.
Bojana Femić Radosavljević from the Parents Association said that they expect schools to solve the problem systematically.
- It does not mean that all the burden should be placed on the teachers. But teachers have chosen the calling of being a role model for children. They need to show by example in class how to deal with problems and develop empathy - she pointed out.
As she said, the question arises as to who is responsible for the violence that occurs at school.
- The school should ask for and get the support of parents and the state - said Femić.
Actress Branka Femić also addressed the crowd, stressing that the evil of violence must be eradicated.
- We have to eradicate the evil of violence, the responsibility lies with everyone, and the greatest responsibility lies with the politicians. Stop creating an atmosphere of hostility, but create a healthy atmosphere. We need institutions that will do their job efficiently - she said.
Boris Mugoša, a member of the SD in the Assembly, appeared in front of the Montenegrin deputies at the protest.
The protest rally was also attended by Prime Minister Dritan Abazović and Minister of Internal Affairs Filip Adžić.
Source - POBJEDA