Under the slogan “Don’t suffocate our rights or our lungs!”, the March 8 March will be held in Banja Luka on Sunday, March 8, organized by the House of Human Rights Banjaluka, together with members and the Initiative of Citizens for Constitutional Changes.
As they announced, in this year’s march, in addition to the topics of gender equality, the fight against violence against women and the protection of women’s labor rights, the citizens will focus on the issue of a healthy environment, especially the alarming problem of air pollution in Banja Luka.
“The 8th of March march will be an opportunity to say clearly and loudly that the right to clean air is not a privilege, but a basic human right. The organizers demand the responsibility of the competent institutions, transparent and urgent measures to reduce pollution, as well as long-term policies that will ensure a healthy environment for all of us who live in Banja Luka and breathe toxic air. We invite the citizens of Banja Luka to join us on March 8 at 12:00 in front of the National Theater of the Republic of Srpska and be part of the protest walk for equality, health and dignified life”, said the organizers.
They emphasized that polluted air is not a statistic or an abstract environmental topic, but a daily threat to citizens’ health. An increased number of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, deterioration of the condition of chronic patients, compromised health of children and the elderly, are just some of the consequences of long-term exposure to pollution.
For months, the citizens of Banjaluka breathe air whose quality often exceeds the permitted limits, which directly affects the quality of life and the general health of the citizens. Especially affected are families with children, pregnant women, the elderly and anyone who already has health problems. Women, who most often take care of the family’s health, are the first to feel the consequences of the absence of systemic environmental protection measures. The fight for clean air is therefore not only an ecological issue, but also a social and health issue, the press release states.
