From 2019-2020, Coram International worked with the Office of the Ombudsperson in Montenegro to develop: (i) a five-year costed strategy and work plan for the protection and promotion of children’s rights; and (ii) internal working protocols on dealing with individual complaints concerning violations of children’s rights in a child-sensitive manner. The strategy and work plan adopted a results-based management approach. The project aimed to implement key recommendations made by an independent programme-informing evaluation of the national system for monitoring children’s rights, which was carried out in 2018. The consultancy ended with an in-country training for the division of the Deputy Ombudsperson for Children’s Rights, Social Protection and Youth on the implementation of the strategy, work plan and working protocols.
In 2017, Coram International was contracted by UNICEF Montenegro to conduct a formative evaluation of the child rights monitoring system in Montenegro for the period 2014-2017 and the development of UNICEF’s future child rights monitoring strategy. The overall purpose of the project was to review the processes, operating procedures, functions and substantive outputs of the child rights monitoring system, in order to develop recommendations and lessons learnt to inform the development of UNICEF’s new country programme for 2017-2021. In line with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/Development Assistance Committee Principles for Evaluation of Development Assistance, the evaluation assesses the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and (to the extent possible) likely impact of the child rights monitoring system, and the implications for the development of UNICEF’s future strategy in this area. In addition, the evaluation pays specific attention to inter-sectoral coordination, and gender and other equity-based considerations. The evaluation was carried out in line with UNEG/UNICEF norms and standards for conducting evaluations and UNICEF’s Global Evaluation Reports Oversight System framework.
In 2015, Coram International was contracted by UNICEF Montenegro to analyse national laws for compliance with the Optional Protocol on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography to determine where the legal gaps exist and to provide technical assistance to the Government in terms of draft amendments to ensure full implementation of the Optional Protocol.
Coram International conducted a final external evaluation of the EU funded Justice for Children project (2012-2014) for UNICEF Montenegro in 2014. The evaluation assessed the relevance, effectiveness, impact, efficiency and sustainability of the reform project. The evaluation further aimed to reveal good practices and identify lessons to be learnt and provided recommendations aimed at furthering the juvenile justice system reform process in Montenegro.
In 2014, Coram International assisted UNICEF and the Government of Montenegro to review the Family law of Montenegro taking in to consideration international children’s rights standards. Stakeholder meetings were held discussing how the law may be further aligned with international standards and the CCLC provided recommendations for reform.