EEAS Principal Advisor on Gender and on the implementation of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (PAG), Ambassador Mara Marinaki, today completed her two-day visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with the European Commission, DG NEAR.
This is the first visit in the context of the G7 initiative to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The EU, as G7 member, has proposed a partnership with BiH based on joint political ownership, leadership and commitment. The partnership aims to mobilise technical and financial support to increase WPS capacity in partner countries. Further details of the partnership will be defined in view of the next G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in September.
Ambassador Marinaki held talks with the BiH Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, Semiha Borovac, the Director of the BiH Gender Equality Agency, Samra Filipovic-Hadziabdic, and the director of the Gender Centre of Republika Srpska, Mirjana Lukac. She also held consultations with the Heads of Mission of the G7 countries, international organisations such as UN Women and with women’s civil society organisations.
The discussion also focused on the main EU gender/WPS priorities related to women’s empowerment, including women’s participation in politics as well as in law enforcement and security agencies; the social and economic empowerment of women; and the eradication of all forms of violence against women.
Ambassador Marinaki commended the efforts and experience of the gender equality mechanisms of Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement UNSCR 1325, including innovative practices such as localised action plans and regional and international cooperation activities.
Ambassador Marinaki looked forward to the adoption of the new Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 WPS in BiH in this regard.
Ambassador’s first visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of the effort to promote the EU gender/WPS priorities in the Western Balkans that also included previous visits to Kosovo and Albania.
