Experts meet to discuss ending violence against children in Montenegro
WHO/Željko Bracanović-Kokos
Forty leading experts from different sectors gathered at a meeting on 23 June 2017 in Podgorica, Montenegro, to discuss ending violence against children in the country. Dr Alma Dresevic, Deputy Minister of Health, opened the meeting by speaking of the importance of collaboration among different sectors to stop child maltreatment.
Ms Mina Brajaovic, Head of the WHO Country Office in Montenegro, welcomed participants on behalf of WHO. She emphasized that violence prevention is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and that it requires a whole-of-society approach.
Dr Dinesh Sethi, Programme Manager for Violence and Injury Prevention at WHO/Europe, presented Investing in children: the European child maltreatment prevention action plan 2015–2020. He explained that child maltreatment leads to the loss of 1–2% of a nation’s gross domestic product, and pointed to cost-effective interventions to prevent violence from occurring in the first place.
Professor Mark Bellis, Director of Policy, Research and International Development at Public Health Wales, said, “Adverse childhood experiences are very common throughout Europe and it is better to invest in making stronger children rather than mending broken adults.”
Professor Judy Hutchings from Bangor University (United Kingdom) emphasized that positive parenting programmes are among the effective interventions suitable for introduction in Montenegro. Professor Toity Deave from the University of the West of England (United Kingdom) presented the evidence base for community nursing and in particular home visitation programmes to prevent violence and injuries in children.
Participants also discussed Montenegro’s new child protection strategy, adopted in 2017, which emphasizes the importance of parenting, preschool education and violence-free schools. They engaged in a lively debate on the adoption of positive parenting programmes in the country, and agreed on the need to build capacity in health and other professions. Montenegro welcomed the continued support of WHO/Europe in this area.
