We do this by:
• Working closely with political parties and the Women MP’s Club in the Parliament of Montenegro to strengthen their internal democratic processes and foster a culture of cooperation
• Teaming up with the Parliament and the State Audit Institution (SAI) to advance transparency and accountability measures, driving efforts to promote good governance and integrity in public administration.
Through this multi-faceted approach, the programme aims to consolidate democratic foundations and promote a more resilient and responsive democratic system in Montenegro.
Key areas of work
Current programmes
Democratic Resilience – Building Transparent and Inclusive Models in Montenegro
The Democratic Resilience initiative contributes to the development of a more resilient democratic society. This is done through supporting and encouraging political parties to demonstrate behaviour that ensures dialogue, proper functioning, and equal representation as preconditions for democratic practices, both internally and externally. Specifically, the programme focuses on the following objectives:
•Political parties enhance accountability, transparency and inclusivity;
•Increased ability of women’s wings to influence the democratic process within their parties through tools and evidence;
•Women politicians actively contribute to the country’s political life, creating a better climate for inclusivity.
WFD also addresses violence against women in politics (VAWP) through our work with the Women MP’s Club in the Parliament. This is achieved by supporting the development of their Action plan, facilitating their engagement with women from political parties, and working on developing mechanisms that will offer support to victims of violence.
Increasing transparent and accountable management of public finances
The objective of this programme is to enhance the efficiency and accountability in the use of public resources in Montenegro by strengthening the roles of key stakeholders within the governance framework. This initiative seeks to strengthen the oversight capabilities of the Parliament of Montenegro while simultaneously reinforcing the internal mechanisms of the State Audit Institution (SAI). We aim to foster greater collaboration between these institutions. The strategy involves the implementation of tailored activities designed specifically for these primary actors, as well as promoting better working relationships among them.
Completed programmes
Western Balkans Democracy initiative 2018 – 2022
Strengthening Financial Oversight in the Parliament
Selected key results

Political parties are implementing important internal reforms based on the recommendations from Mapping Parties in the Party System of Montenegro (MAPOM)reports. Parties are developing action plans for women's and youth forums.

Tools and initiatives are being developed to promote accountability, inclusivity and transparency in political parties, such as guidelines for candidate selection and developing more efficient organisational structures.

Financial accountability of women's party wings is being addressed, with the Gender Equality Committee conducting a consultative hearing for SAI members and identifying targeted actions to improve financial transparency and management of funds.

The Parliament of Montenegro and State Audit Office (SAI) have strengthened their collaboration, with SAI actively engaging in parliamentary committee meetings, hearings, and discussions, and the Parliament adopting procedures to act upon SAI reports.

WFD has facilitated the development of a roadmap for strengthening budgetary oversight in the Parliament of Montenegro, which has been shared with Parliament and the SAI.

The programme has contributed to increased transparency in public sector finances by facilitating the development of parliamentary internal procedures, enabling Parliament to better exercise its oversight role.

WFD has strengthened the SAI’s capacity to engage in effective parliamentary scrutiny, by providing training and facilitation that enables SAI to contribute more effectively to parliamentary discussions and decision-making processes.
Contact us

Ana Milutinovic
Studentska bb
Lamela 7
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro