Persons with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups in Montenegrin society. Throughout history, they have been denied personal and individual choice, as well as control in all spheres of life. Many of them have been assumed to be incapable of living independently in the communities they choose. Support is either unavailable or linked to specific living arrangements, and community infrastructure is not universally designed. Despite a narrative that promotes deinstitutionalization in Montenegro, funds are being invested in institutions and not in developing opportunities for persons with disabilities to live an independent life in the community. This leads to abandonment, family dependence, isolation and segregation, and consequently to institutionalization, which imposes an additional burden on this already vulnerable population.

The United Nations in Montenegro has been implementing a two-year programme to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in the country. The programme, funded through the UN Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), was preceded by an initial phase in 2021, in which various government stakeholders, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations were consulted on the priority areas. Based on their inputs, the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), UNDP and UNICEF developed a two-year programme to support Montenegro in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.

Data on the specific needs of adults with different disabilities for community living support is limited. Therefore, a qualitative study was designed and conducted to identify the specific needs of women and men with disabilities. Moreover, the study involved beneficiaries who are currently placed in residential institutions, in order to better understand their specific circumstances and possibilities for deinstitutionalization.

Recommendations to strengthen support in the community, based on identified needs, will be used to identify key services, piloting of which will be funded within the aforementioned programme. The study provides evidence of the specific needs and challenges faced by men and women. It has ensured the inclusion of marginalized and underrepresented groups of persons with disabilities, addressed gender inequality and advanced the rights of women with disabilities to encourage the creation of gender-responsive services.