The three-day consultative conference, at which the new European Union (EU) Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) program for gender equality and social support will be launched, aimed at improving the prevention of and response to gender-based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), worth eight million euros, began yesterday in Sarajevo as part of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign.
The program represents one of the key pillars of the Gender Equality Accelerator (GEA), a joint initiative implemented in partnership with the EU, Sweden, and Denmark, and carried out by United Nations (UN) Women, UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF through cooperation between the UN and the institutions of BiH.
Samra Filipovic-Hadziabdic, Director of the Agency for Gender Equality of BiH, emphasizes that this is one of the most significant new programs in the field of combating violence against women in BiH and a unique opportunity to hear directly how the support system for survivors will be concretely changed, from the police and social services to safe houses and the judiciary.
“The Agency for Gender Equality of BiH is truly committed to the systematic resolution, prevention, and protection of women from violence. This is an excellent opportunity to try to systematically resolve numerous issues. We cannot say that there has been no progress in this area, but I would like to say that this program will serve to align all mechanisms so that we have adequate prevention and an adequate response to violence. This will be an opportunity to implement all the urgent measures recommended to us by the GREVIO Committee, that is, what is required from the institutions of BiH at all levels,” said Filipovic-Hadziabdic.
She added that statistics show that in BiH every second or third woman has been a victim of some form of violence since the age of 15, and that work on preventing this issue must begin already within the school system and continue onward, while an adequate response from all institutions is also needed – from the police to the judiciary.
The event brings together more than 120 experts and practitioners from 55 cities, including representatives of ministries, social work centers, judicial and health institutions, police, safe houses, women’s organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, Roma and LGBTQI+ associations, youth initiatives, religious communities, and media.
Jo-Anne Bishop, UN Women Representative in BiH, emphasizes that this program can guarantee safety for all women and girls in this country and can become an excellent response to the problem of gender-based violence.
“Gender-based violence is an urgent problem that must be resolved immediately. The fact is that one in two women experiences some form of sexual violence by the age of 15, and data show that women often do not want to report the problem. Also alarming is the data that 114.000 women in BiH experienced some form of violence in the past year,” Bishop stated.
She added that the event will also address the problems faced by women in smaller communities in BiH, persons with disabilities, and women living in some rural parts of the country.
Adebayo Babajide, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to BiH, noted that 7.5 million euros have been allocated to assist survivors of violence – girls, women, and members of vulnerable populations in BiH. Babajide emphasized that ending gender-based violence is one of the key points the EU requires from BiH.
“The recent case of femicide in Mostar, as well as many previous cases, points to the great need for better protection for women. Stronger institutions are needed, better safe houses, and measures that will enable the economic independence of survivors. The project also supports key reforms in BiH, which the country needs to implement in the areas of human rights, social protection, combating discrimination, and the rule of law,” Babajide concluded.
