GENDER PROFILE MONTENEGRO
Security is not only about protecting borders, it is about protecting people, fostering trust, and creating conditions for peace. When women are meaningfully included in peace and security efforts, societies are more resilient. But like many sectors, security and defence in Montenegro remain shaped by historical gender imbalances and persistent stereotypes.
Women now make up over 56% of staff in the Ministry of Defence, and 15% of personnel in the Armed Forces of Montenegro (AFM)—up from just 8.7% in 2013. However, most women are employed in civilian or administrative roles:
Among professional military personnel, women represent just over 12%, with the highest concentration in lower officer ranks. Currently, no woman holds a rank higher than Major. Meanwhile, women account for 47.1% of civilian staff but remain underrepresented in leadership and combat roles. The National Security Agency, which has consistently had the lowest representation of women since 2013, remains an outlier in progress.
This disparity reflects deeper structural and cultural challenges: unequal career advancement opportunities and traditional role expectations. More than half of citizens believe that women are less capable than men for military service. These attitudes are especially prevalent among men, with 58% sharing this belief.
The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000 marked a turning point in global efforts to recognize the vital role women play in peace and security. Its four pillars - participation, prevention, protection, and recovery, serve as a blueprint for governments worldwide. Montenegro adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) to implement this agenda in 2017, followed by a second plan covering 2019–2022.
The latest Strategy for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 (2024–2027) marks a step forward. For the first time, Montenegro’s framework includes all four pillars, including the often-overlooked “relief and recovery” component. This strategy involves multiple institutions, from the Ministry of Defence and Police Directorate to the Supreme State Prosecutor’s Office and civil society organizations.
However, institutional knowledge of UNSCR 1325 has to be improved. Only 20% of employees in key ministries are aware of the resolution’s content, and just 7% say they are actively contributing to its implementation. The primary barrier cited by staff is the lack of awareness across institutions, followed by low engagement from leadership and a shortage of trained personnel to oversee and support gender integration.
For gender equality in the defence sector to move from strategy to reality, Montenegro must invest in both institutional accountability and cultural transformation. The United Nations outlines seven pillars to advance women’s roles in defence, offering a practical roadmap for progress:
Moreover, Montenegro must strengthen training across ministries to ensure that all staff, not just senior officials, understand the value of UNSCR 1325 and how to operationalize it in daily practice. Qualitative indicators should be used to measure real change, not just the number of activities delivered.
Gender equality in defence is necessary to build more effective, trusted, and legitimate security system that serves all citizens equally. Comprehensive training programs and stronger institutional accountability are essential to bridge the existing challenges. Without these efforts, Montenegro risks missing the opportunity to fully benefit from the diverse contributions women can make to national security, peacekeeping efforts, crisis response, and defence.
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