The International Women’s Day, when women call for more rights and a better security system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In several cities across the country, women took to the streets with different demands.
The issue of widespread violence against women was highlighted, and activists presented data showing that every second woman in Bosnia and Herzegovina has experienced some form of violence. For this reason, they marched today in memory of those who are no longer here, carrying the slogan “A Woman’s Place Is in the Revolution” instead of flowers and carnations.
“Women’s safety is a public responsibility. A state that does not intervene condones violence.” This was the slogan under which activists in Sarajevo gathered for the International Women’s Day march. Women in Sarajevo took to the streets due to the continuous and widespread gender-based violence against women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Last year, amendments to the Criminal Code were adopted, which for the first time recognized the gender-based killing of a woman, femicide, as a separate and more serious criminal offence.
“The law is not enough. As a society, and through our institutions, we must take every reported case of violence seriously, approach it responsibly, and conduct an adequate risk assessment. We must not only react to gender-based violence but also work on prevention. We usually react when it is already too late, when violence has already been reported. In reality, that is already a later phase of violence. Much more effort must be invested in prevention,” said Maida Zagorac, a member of the Organizing Committee of the International Women’s Day March.
“What is moving incredibly slowly is the resistance coming from institutions. It sometimes seems that there are also abusers and violent behaviour within those institutions, which is why the implementation of these measures is being delayed. That is why progress is extremely slow,” said Besima Borić, a former politician and activist.
“Women of Mostar refuse to remain silent.” This was the message heard in the city on the Neretva River. The walk on the occasion of International Women’s Day sent a message against femicide, gender-based violence, and discrimination against women in society. During the walk, participants also commemorated the victims of femicide Aldijana Jahić and Ines Žmiro, whose names have become symbols of the fight for women’s safety. The walk was organized by the Initiative of Citizens of Mostar with the support of local associations.
“Women of Mostar refuse to remain silent about many issues, and this time we marched specifically because of the inequality women face in the world -in the economic sphere, because of violence against women and children, and due to the growing number of peer violence in our city. Especially because the number of femicide has increased in the past few years,” said Aldijana Trbonja-Tule from the Initiative of Citizens of Mostar.
“We want to say that we refuse to remain silent about violence and that violence has no place in our society. This protest walk is symbolic for all women who were victims of femicide in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Selma Dandić from the Initiative of Citizens of Mostar.
“Stop suffocating our rights and our lungs” is the slogan of this year’s march in Banja Luka. In addition to gender equality, the fight against violence against women, and the protection of labour rights, this year’s focus also included environmental protection, particularly the alarming level of air pollution in Banja Luka.
“Considering that the problem of air pollution is becoming more serious every year, we decided to make it one of the main focuses of this year’s International Women’s Day march in Banja Luka, along with the other messages we repeat every year,” said Dragana Dardić from the Human Rights House Banja Luka.
“We could not accept remaining silent while taking our children outside and to school in such conditions. We cannot organize our lives depending on the level of pollution and constantly try to avoid it while nothing is being done. We submitted a petition requesting that public authorities respond within seven days, but we have still received no reply,” said Dragana Stanković, a lawyer.
The idea of marking International Women’s Day emerged in the early 20th century, during a period of rapid industrialization and economic development, when workers, especially women, often protested against poor working conditions. One of the first significant events took place on March 8, 1857, in New York, when women working in the textile industry took to the streets to protest poor working conditions and low wages.
