Issue
In 2013, the government of Montenegro adopted the Strategy for Improving Quality of Life for LGBT Persons. Embedded in the strategy is the goal of supporting adoption and implementation of the Yogyakarta Principles. The principles were developed by a group of international human rights experts and establish governments’ obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights of LGBT people.
Impact
Montenegro has adopted a number of legal protections for LGBT people in the areas of equality, bias-motivated violence, and freedom of assembly. However, a struggle remains in translating legal norms to the lived experience of LGBT people in Montenegro. Implementing the Yogyakarta Principles could help to ensure equal treatment of LGBT people in the country.
Summary
The testimony recommends adoption and implementation of the two Yogyakarta Principles under consideration: Principle Twelve, the right to work free from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and Principle Five, the right to be protected from violence and bodily harm. Implementation of these principles should include mechanisms to prosecute employers that discriminate against LGBT workers, workplace trainings focused on LGBT issues, and a commitment to investigating and prosecuting felony-level crimes against LGBT people.