Within the Project "Education and economic empowerment of vulnerable groups of women and girls in Montenegro – ECOS", funded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and implemented by Zavod KROG from Slovenia in partnership with the NGO IKRE Rožaje and the NGO IMPULS from Montenegro, the first meeting of the EKOS network was organised in Rožaje.

The meeting was attended by 10 NGOs and associations dealing with vulnerable groups from Nikšić, Beran, Bijelo Polje, Plav and Rožaje. The members of the EKOS network are the NGO "IKRE", the NGO "Srce" and the NGO "Mrav" from Rožaje, the NGO "Impuls" from Nikšić, the SOS from Plav, the Women's Organisation "Feniks", the Informal Group for the Support of the Romani Population and the NGO "Montenegro Iskra" from Beran, the Municipal Association for Multiple Sclerosis BP and the Association for the Assistance of Disabled People from Bijelo Polje.

The purpose of the meeting is to establish a network and agree on activities for the next 28 months to improve the situation of women from vulnerable groups through joint efforts and actions. The network aims to promote the prevention of violence and the empowerment of women/girls in the area of gender equality, to integrate the issue into local strategic plans and strategies, and to raise awareness among the general public in the area of gender equality, violence prevention and the promotion of women's economic empowerment.

The project and the network's action plan for 2023 were presented at the meeting. Furthermore, the cooperation of all network members was agreed upon. A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed, which provides the framework within which the Network will be operating.

All members of the EKOS network expressed their commitment to pursuing the objectives of the project and their appreciation of the opportunity to work together in this manner.

The organisation and realisation of training courses for the members of the EKOS network follows in the months of June and July of the current year.