This Report provides a wide range of specific recommendations on how to promote social inclusion. It identifies the specific responsibilities and actions required from the Government, the education and social welfare systems and from employers and others, to ensure the social inclusion of all Montenegrins. I truly hope that the data, analysis and recommendations of the Report will support the overall progress of Montenegro’s accession to the European Union and, in particular, will be useful for the preparation of the subsequent Joint Inclusion Memorandum (JIM). Let me underline that the findings and recommendations of this NHDR are especially important today, when the global economic downturn has begun to take a toll on the people of Montenegro and especially the vulnerable and socially excluded. Although the current turmoil has prompted responses from the Government that support the economic and financial sectors, equal attention should be given to the socially excluded. This Report was prepared through an extensive participatory process to create a consensus on the future path that Montenegro may want to follow. However, in keeping with the participatory message of this Report, we encourage readers to post their own suggestions for future NHDR reports and comment on this year’s NHDR at http://www.undp.org.me/ I sincerely believe that the Report will help the Government, civil society, businesses and citizens of Montenegro, to tackle successfully the issues of social exclusion, so that this phenomenon will become thing of the past. Alexander Avanessov UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative
9
Podgorica, Montenegro September 2009
National Human Development Report 2009 Montenegro: Society for All