Members in the House of Representatives of FBiH agreed to form an informal club of female parliamentarians.
With the support of the American International Republican Institute (IRI), the parliamentarians created a strategic plan of action during a joint meeting in Sarajevo on 2nd and 3rd February. They defined their vision and mission of the Club of Parliamentarians, and elected their first coordinator.
The Parliamentary Club, together with cooperation between other clubs and working bodies of the Parliament will work on the creation, adoption and oversight of legislation in all areas, especially in areas that serve the special public interest of women.
The goal of the club is for the activities to advocacy, empowerment and networking with stakeholders to contribute to the improvement of the situation of women in BiH.
They agreed on an action plan and defined important themes for women, which they will work on in the next period by organizing round tables and meetings with the non-profit sector.
‘’The International Republican Institute (IRI) is committed to working with women in politics. Cooperation with female parliamentarians in the House of Representatives of the FBiH resulted in the formation of a Club of Parliamentarians. It is important to note that this is the first club that formed out of mutual interest and joint goals, whose members are representatives of eight parliamentary parties and independent candidates’’, said Borislav Spasojević, the Director of IRI in BiH.
He added that IRI would continue intensive cooperation with the Club of Parliamentarians through administrative-technical support in the Club’s activities, organizing educational and regional conferences and meetings with civil society and citizens.
Spasojević also said that the Club would act as an informal group until it adopts amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament, since it did not foresee the formation of multiparty clubs.
Therefore, one of the fundamental goals of the Club will be to propose amendments and institutionalize the Club of Women Parliamentarians.
Also, the members agreed that the main goals of the Club should be to adop laws on family and child protection, as well as better cooperation and networking with representatives of civil society and increased presence in the media.
Coordinator of the Club, Hafeza Sabljaković, said that the idea to form a Club of Women Parliamentarians has already existed for a long time, and that the women showed a desire to work together in areas that are important to women.
She added that the relationship between female parliamentarians is friendly and based on that, many positive initiatives can be realized through their work in the Parliament of FBiH.
