Activities / Human stories

The project promotes social cohesion by empowering communities for dialogue and joint initiatives that contribute to the common good, trust in institutions, and the prevention of harmful narratives and violence. It supports institutions in recognizing citizens’ recommendations emerging from dialogues and implementing concrete measures and policies that foster social cohesion.

The project will be implemented from January 2024 to January 2026. It is carried out by UNDP, UNICEF, and UNESCO, in partnership with the Government of Montenegro, and funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund. The target groups of this initiative include women and men, children, adolescents and youth, educators, parents and guardians, as well as changemakers. Key partners include the Government, local administrations, intersectoral councils, Parliament, the Ombudsman Institution, civil society organizations, schools, universities, media, and cultural institutions.

The project's goal is to transform the potentially negative effects of distrust, divisive narratives, hate speech, gender-based violence, and violence against and among children and youth in Montenegro into positive outcomes. This involves engaging communities—especially marginalized groups—in dialogue, contributing to the creation of a shared vision of the common good, strengthening inter-community and institutional trust, and building community resilience against division and hate speech. At the same time, the project aims to strengthen institutions by supporting them in responding to the outcomes of inclusive dialogues, reflecting the collective needs of communities. Furthermore, it seeks to help institutions adopt and implement these recommendations, creating inclusive, gender-responsive, and legally grounded policies and actions for social cohesion at both local and national levels.

Expected Outcomes

The project will achieve its intended impact through:

• Local dialogues focused on the common good;
• Building community resilience and preventing hate speech, gender-based violence, and peer violence;
• Developing Social Cohesion Charters, ensuring institutions implement citizens’ recommendations emerging from local dialogues;
• A Social Cohesion Innovation Lab, piloting innovative solutions developed within local dialogues;
• Promoting culture and media as drivers of trust, positive narratives, and respect for diversity.

For more information, visit: https://www.undp.org/cnr/montenegro/projects/jacanje-povjerenja-gradana-u-institucije-i-izgradnja-otpornih-zajednica.