UN population fund reports that Montenegro, one of the least populated countries in Europe, is one of the top 5 countries in the world with gender disparity.

Due to strong traditional and patriarchal society, women are pressured into having sons over daughters.

With the increasing availability and access to genetic pre-natal tests, rates of selective abortions of female fetuses are rising.

This is a wide spread practice and open secret in society. Implications are obvious: Girls are unwanted in Montenegro.

Women’s Right Center, NGO in Montenegro, dedicated to promotion of women’s rights and gender equality, kicked of a campaign called #Unwanted, to confront traditional society, influence a change of legislature and prevent abusing of genetic prenatal tests that are causing sex-selective abortions.

We wanted to start a change in the Montenegrin society. And we did. With #Unwanted song.

To give the voice to #Unwanted girls of Montenegro and confront traditional society we have created the #Unwanted song. For their voices to be heard, we have used Eurovision as a platform and put #Unwanted song to compete for the representative of Montenegro at Montevizija, official national finals of Euronsong 2018. and one of the most watched and loved TV programs in the country. The lyrics of #Unwanted song portray the unspoken words of Unwanted girls and their rights to belong to this world.

The core of our idea was to steer the conversation about the issue of selective abortions in a manner least expected and to serve the topic on the table of conservative country in the form everyone is so fond of: music.

We wanted to start a change in the society and we did. With one song.

Women’s Right Center wanted to make revel open secret, confront traditional society and make an impact with right event, right message and right person. Our strategy was to capture the Eurovision as a platform.

To use Eurovision national contest, as one of the most watched TV programs to set a light on a subject of #unwanted girls in unexpected way and torch the social conversation by creating an #Unwanted song as tool that will speak to the our target audience - the whole nation. The subject of #unwanted directed the conversation with subject of sex selective abortions covered in all media for the first time openly, as well as engaging the public figures and influencers to support the cause, resulting in opening the subject in public as well as igniting people to react and action by signing the petition to change the law.

Online petition demanding to change the legislature gathered more than 6000 signatures in record time, leading the Government of Montenegro to support the change of law.

More than 80% of total population reached through earned media

More than 70% of 18+ population reached through digital channels

More than 50% of total population reached via social influencers’ pages

More than 1,5 million Twitter impressions

Over 2.700.000 impressions in digital

Earned vs Paid media - 104 times higher

Major public figures and influencers supported the #Uwanted by sharing the song and petition link including Eurovision winner Marija Serifovic sharing and supporting the song.

#Unwanted song became the hit on radio stations and unofficial anthem of girls in Montenegro.

#Unwanted campaign reached not only Montenegro, but also more than 20 countries

International media coverage from regional and international press covering the campaign.