Today marks the World Day of Social Justice, established by the United Nations in 2007 to combat poverty and promote full employment and equal opportunities for all. Social justice encompasses the right to education, healthcare, employment, security, and human rights. Montenegro has committed to improving human rights, employability, and reducing social inequality by 2030, yet these goals remain far from being achieved. The country has been slow to implement the recommendations of the UN Committee, particularly in addressing poverty and ensuring the fulfillment of basic existential needs. The absence of a comprehensive strategy, along with a lack of necessary data, hampers efforts to combat poverty and protect vulnerable populations.

Montenegro faces significant economic and social inequalities, with no precise data on the number of people living in poverty or those unable to meet basic living needs. There is no reliable information on homelessness, individuals without adequate housing or access to essential infrastructure such as water, heating, sanitation, and electricity, nor on those living in overcrowded or structurally unsafe conditions. To date, the government has not adopted a Strategy for Combating Poverty, nor is its development included in the Government’s Medium-Term Work Program for 2024-2027.

In 2024, according to data from the Statistical Office of Montenegro (Monstat), one-fifth (20.3%) of Montenegro’s population was at risk of poverty, with an even higher percentage (28.4%) among children. Furthermore, a UNICEF report highlights a serious issue, emphasizing that at least one-third of children in Montenegro live in poverty.

With inflation reaching 3.3% in 2024 and the continuous rise in living costs, the current social assistance of €220.45 per month for a four-member family (€160.45 in material support and €60 in child benefits for two children, as of January 2025) is entirely insufficient to cover basic living expenses. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the consumer basket for a family, as calculated by trade unions in the fourth quarter of 2024, amounted to €1,970. This means that current social benefits account for only 11.2% of the amount needed for a dignified life. In other words, the total annual social assistance provided is not enough to cover even two months’ worth of expenses for an average household.

Recently, Action for Human Rights (HRA) protested against the rejection of amendments proposed by the Social Democrats (SD) to the 2025 Budget Law, which sought to increase financial support for the most vulnerable groups and provide free transportation and school meals for children from disadvantaged families. These amendments were rejected without explanation, despite the fact that they could have been financed by reducing expenditures on official travel, representation, and consultancy services—without increasing overall budget expenses.

The increase in the Material Support for Families (MOP) budget for 2025 by only €500,000 represents a 5% risecompared to 2024, which is insufficient to meaningfully improve the situation of the most vulnerable. Although biannual adjustments to MOP are planned, based on past trends and budget allocation patterns over the last decade, the projected increase will amount to just €10 to €15 per month per family.

We once again urge the government to increase social assistance levels to ensure they meet basic living needs and to target social benefits effectively towards the most vulnerable populations.

We also stress that Montenegro has failed to implement the recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights from 2014, which called for an increase in social assistance to ensure an adequate standard of living for socially disadvantaged individuals and families—especially the unemployed, elderly, and persons with disabilities. The Committee also urged Montenegro to establish a data collection system for monitoring the implementation of economic, social, and cultural rights.

Montenegro is now three years overdue in submitting its report to the UN Committee, meaning that no official information has been provided on the implementation of these recommendations. According to HRA’s assessment, not a single recommendation related to social rights and poverty reduction has been fulfilled.

The Montenegrin state delegation will likely have to explain to the UN Committee this year why it has failed to implement these recommendations for an entire decade. We call on the Minister of Social Welfare, Family Care, and Demography, Damir Gutić, to thoroughly review the UN Committee’s recommendations, ensure the necessary data is collected, and take urgent measures to secure an adequate standard of living for the most vulnerable citizens.