Violence against women and femicide in the Tuzla Canton are becoming more and more common. This anomaly in society has long-term health consequences, produces dysfunctional families, and takes lives. Victims are talked about when violence occurs, and a few days later, almost no one mentions them anymore. In order to ensure that no victim of violence falls into oblivion, the Tuzla City Council has decided to name one of the parks in this city the Park of Victims of Femicide and All Forms of Violence.
The park, which is known among Tuzla residents as the “Cipelići” park, now has a new name. The Park of Victims of Femicide and All Forms of Violence. This decision was made unanimously by the Tuzla City Council, because in this way they want to draw attention to this major social problem.
“In this way, we want to draw attention to all victims of violence, with an emphasis on women. That is why it is called the Park of Victims of Femicide and Other Forms of Violence. We are thinking of men, children, socially vulnerable categories, and all vulnerable categories of society,” says Edin Jahić, a member of the Expert Team for Naming Streets and Squares in Tuzla.
Cases of violence almost, if not daily, fill the dark news columns in the media. Although violence is committed against women, most often, the victims are also children, but the elderly and the helpless, as well as vulnerable categories of society.
“The Council cannot side with just one form of violence and thus ignore other forms of violence. For this reason, I have proposed an amendment to add ‘and all forms of violence’ to the Park of Victims of Femicide. In this way, we stand in solidarity with all victims,” said Mirnes Ajanović, president of the Bosnian Party Councilors’ Club in the Tuzla City Council.
In this way, the Tuzla City Council stands in defense of all persons who have been victims of some form of violence, and directly shows its solidarity, but also sends a loud message against all types of violence, regardless of whether it is physical, psychological, sexual or institutional violence.
“In doing so, the Council has directly put itself in defense of the European Convention, the Constitution and the laws themselves that prescribe any violation of equality as a criminal offense,” says Ajanović.
“Thus, with this title, we will draw attention to all victims of violence, so that it does not happen again, but also to symbolically pay respect to them in a lasting way,” added Jahić.
In the last six years, more than 60 women have been killed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, killed by current or former partners. Nizama, Amra, Inela, Samra and numerous other victims of femicide were not protected by the state. They were brutally killed simply because they were women and because they were physically weaker.
