Gender Equality and Judicial Practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina


This booklet is a short English language version of the Study "Gender Equality and Judicial Practice in B&H".
It provides the key findings, conclusions and recommendations that are results of the research that conducted in period April - June 2007. The booklet has been updated with some new findings and data that came out after October 2007 when the Study was printed.

 Woman Today 11
Here we are presenting you the eleventh publication “Woman Today”, which provides an overview
of activities implemented within the project during 2007 in partnership of Helsinki Citizens Assembly Banja Luka and United Women Banja Luka. During this period, we implemented numerous activities: six preparatory meetings, preparatory workshop and research about gender stereotypes, round table in Banja Luka and public discussions in Bihać, Mostar, Sarajevo, Tuzla, Tomislavgrad, Trebinje, Višegrad, Prijedor and Bijeljina, where we presented the research result, four public discussions in Banja Luka with common title “Actual Moment” six TV programs, four press conferences, and publication “Why You Did Not Choose Better: on the occasion of tenth anniversary of SOS telephone for women. Beside that, on the initiative of our two associations, Board of Equal Possibilities of the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska organized the public hearing on the topic of “Financing the Safe Houses for Women and Children Victims of Domestic Violence.”

 Introducing Principles of Gender Equity and Equality on the Level of Local Governanace

Men and women have different priorities, they organise their lives in different manners.
They have unequal access to economic and social resources, careers etc. All this is affected by social constructs of their biological sex. Therefore, what seems as neutral policy and measure can influence women and men differently, because they live different social, economic and cultural reality. Gender is a key criterion when we define, implement and evaluate policies and measures, means and resources, because they affect individual human beings. Therefore, we prepared and printed this manual, in order to improve application of international and domestic legal standards and mechanisms for gender equality, particularly the Gender Equality Law of BiH,
on municipal level of governance. (Available in local language only)

 Woman Today 10
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka and United Women Banja Luka marked their 10th
anniversary in 2006 in working and busy environment. This was the year of general elections,
so our activities were directed towards improvement of women’s position in public and political life and increase their participation in institution. This hardly allowed us some time to relax and celebrate. But happiness was there, also because many our beneficiaries and friends from political parties got elected into institutions and those who didn’t manage that stated we helped them to implement their campaigns and be more visible to their voters. The booklet “Woman Today 10” provides an overview of our activities in 2006.

 From Local to Global Dialogue II
Brochure "From Local to Global Dialogue II," represents the activities and results of the project, collection of introductory presentations of the representatives of the Municipal Administrations in Modriča and Teslić, questions and recommendations of the citizens, as well as the results of the field researches that were conducted in municipalities of Modriča and Teslić.

"Study about Family Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina" - The Excerpt
"Study about Family Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina" represents the result of several
months' long research and work on the issue of family violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This excerpt represents a summary of the Study about Family Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which we presented overview of the most important results and findings we identified during research.

 "Global Media Monitoring Project 2005"

On February 16, 2005, world media were carefully monitored. Thousands of people from
76 countries worldwide monitored gender representation in media, and presenting of
women and men in TV news, radio, and newspapers.This is the first time that BiH participated in media monitoring from gender analysis aspect. It has included activists of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, and «United Women» from Banja Luka. According to analysis conducted in relation to gender representation in media for a single day ( February 16), results show that women appeared in 57 news articles/stories, or 15 %, as central characters, as compared to men who were presented 324 times or 85%.

 Women today 9

Here we are presenting you the publication with overview of all activities implemented during
2005 within the project "Woman Today," by women and men activists of "United Women"
and "Helsinki Citizens Assembly" Banja Luka. Aim of the project is elimination of all
forms of discrimination of women, and creating environment where women and men would
have equal possibilities. We are implementing this project for the past nine years,
thanks to the support of the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation.
In this publication, we are presenting the texts of introductory presentations from public
discussions and regional conference that were organized during 2005.

 Thenk  you for asking how I feel

„Thank you for asking how I feel“ is a book published on the ocassion of the tenth anniversary
of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the result of a pool surveyed amongst more than
500 people from 17 cities and towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who answered questions
concerning their life ten years ago, their feelings when Dayton Peace Agreement was signed;
what they believed in; how they live today, what they expect from future, and what was the
best thing that happened in the past ten years .... answers to the above questions were used
for writing more than 170 stories, and as many quotations in this book.

 Associations of national minorities in BiH

In the period between May and September 2005, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka
and Union of National Minorities of Republic of Srpska gathered information about national
minorities from the whole territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This publication was printed as part of our partnership project “ Co tenants”, financed by the European Union. On basis of data supplied by associations, institutions, and relevant authorities, as well as in direct contacts, we identified more than eighty associations.
In this brochure you can find basic information about them.
In the enclosure of this booklet there is the Law on Protection of National Minority Rights at the
BiH and RS level, and the excerpt from the research on its application.

 Annual report:"Be Seen Be Heard" in 2004

"Be Seen Be Heard" is a name of informal network of women activists from
nongovernmental organizations and political parties, and women from the institutions
of public governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are striving to increase women's
participation in public life, especially in decision-making processes. Activities of this
Network are developed within joint project of Helsinki Citizens Assembly Banja Luka
and IKV from the Netherlands and funded by Hivos, the Netherlands and National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.The annual report "Be Seen Be Heard in 2004" in front of you, provides an opportunity for you to get more information about women bearers of the mentioned
activities and feel a part of atmosphere among women and men, members of the Network.
("Be Seen Be heard" in 2004, Banja Luka, April 2005.)

  In Advocacy Action 

"In advocacy action" we have presented the examples of good practice which “Be seen, be heard” conducted in their local communities. Thanks to women’ campaign “Purchase of milk” in Bosansko Grahovo organized by Women association “Grahovo”, the first time after 12 years women in Grahovo open their accounts and received salaries. (“In Advocacy Action”, Banja Luka, December 2004, Summary in English)

  From Local to Global Dialogue 

This booklet "From local to global dialogue" represents overview of activities and results of the project, collection introductory of representatives from City Administration Banja Luka, and the most interesting questions, suggestions and conclusions that citizens of Banja Luka directed to relevant public governmental; institutions. ("From local to global dialogue", Banja Luka, December 2004)

  Strategic planning 

This manual introduces us to the world of thinking about existence of any organisational unit (NGO, small, medium or large enterprises, civil association, public institution...), its tendencies and perspectives. It helps us reach them through a tested, theoretically based, systematic and effective process. ("Strategic Planning", Banja Luka, December 2004 Available in local language only,)

  Women in the Media 

The results of fourteen days media monitoring which included six newspapers and six TV-stations in Republic of Srpska and Federation of BiH are presented in booklet „Women in the Media“. The results are defeating and show that women and men participation in media is totally unbalanced and unequal – women participate in less than 20% media reports in BiH. Monitoring showed that there is no any subject women speak about more than men. Woman as qualified person who gives a statement, comment and analyse actual political and economical situation, appeared in twenty reports only, what is ten times less then a man in 663 TV reports. (“Women in the Media”, Banja Luka, October 2004,
Summary in English,)

  My Voice is Original 

The results of research “Are we ready to vote for youth” were published in the booklet “My Voice is Original”. The results showed that 74% of 1941 person questioned thinks that more youth should be involved in politics. 89% think that young politicians are not enough represented in media which shows the fact that senior politicians have a monopoly on public in BiH. Most people, 68%, think that young politicians are “smart and ambitious” and “fighters for young people interests”, but they also think that youth politicians are being used by their older colleagues. The booklet was used to promote young candidates in Bihać, Mostar and Zvornik for local elections, 2004 and to present their ideas to their potential voters in those three communities especially. (“My Voice is Original”, Banja Luka, September 2004, Available in local language only,)

  Notes on Campaigning 

The goal of “Notes of campaigning” is to present the role of women members of political parties in planning and election campaigns, show to what extent they are active and what the obstacles for they engagement are. “There are no women leaders of political parties. This confirms politicians say one thing, and do another. Women have to encourage themselves and go public. Let them call you names and say bad words, but it is not important, because you know what your goal is and why you campaign”, Mladenka Petković, deputy in Council of Milići, Serb Democratic Party (SDS). (“Notes on Campaigning”, Banja Luka, March 2004, Available in local language only)

  Media – Your Allies

The manual "Media – Your Allies" is a result of years of work with groups of members of political parties and NGO activists, organised by Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka and “United Women” educating them and developing self-confidence for public speech. The manual is prepared to help you build better relations with journalists and get your allies in the media. ("Media – Your Allies", Banja Luka, February 2004)

  Gender Analysis of Election Law of BiH 

In Gender Analysis of the Election Law of BiH, Ph.D. Nada Ler Sofronić explains the problems in the Law and need for creation of gender sensitive election law, which could provide real equality in election process and prevent direct and indirect discrimination based on sex. Gender sensitive election law should imply the ideal normative model and provide representation of both sexes 50%:50%. (Gender Analysis of Election Law of BiH, Banja Luka, May 2003)

  Annual reports - 2004, 2005