Presentation of the researches conducted by the HCA in the preceding year and a half on the youth and the media, and representation of women in the media, was held on May 23, 2006, in premises of the Faculty of Philosophy in Banja Luka. It was aimed at introducing the future journalists with NGOs as possible source of information , and to make them aware of necessity to pay more attention to youths and women as their potential interviewees and observers of actual events.
According to researches results, out of 2500 polled youths in BiH, 80 % are of the opinion that youths are very little or not represented at all in the media, as women, compared to men were given 20 times less media space.

Conference „Youth participation on General Election 2006.” was organized in Banjaluka from 28th to 30th April. This conference is dedicated to improvement of youth participation in social processes and in decision making processes as well. Over 20 youth representatives of political parties participated on this conference. Youth from different political parties as „Stranka za BiH”, SDP, HDZ, SDS, SDA, HSS, BOSS, LDS, „SPAS”, PDP, E-5, SPRS and „Nova demokratija” have made several conclusion which will be forward to all political parties and relevant institutions in BiH:
1. Youth are dissiponted and not satisfied with Central Election Law and amandmanes which regulates    youth representation on candidates’ lists.
2. Political parties in BiH are asked to make regulation of 30% youth representation on candidates’ lists within their internal documents.
3. Youth insist that one part of political parties’ budgets is allocated for the activities young representatives of political parties.
Young politicians believe that these conclusions are understandable and approprate for their situation in socety and political leaders will approve it since thay all are advocating for the improvement of youth position in BiH and this is a chance to prove it.

During the public session held on April 19, direct and indirect participants of negotiations on amendments to the BiH Constitution, Dragan Cavic, Mladen Ivanic and Nikola Spiric tried to explain which parts of Constitution will be revised , and how it will reflect on Republic of Srpska.
Citizens showed interest into how much those amendments would cost the country, and which of the entity jurisdictions will be transferred to the state level, asking why that issue was discussed at level of political parties, and not within institutions.
Dragan Cavic, speaking in capacity of the President of Serbian Democratic Party said that he had no idea as to how much constitutional amendments would cost, but that they were cheaper than conflicts. He pointed out that these amendments would make the state more functional without endangering entities. Mladen Ivanic, the leader of Party of Democratic Progress observed that Constitutional amendments did not mean “the end of the world”, adding that the long lasting policy of RS was to defend its interests within the common institutions. Member of the Party of Independent Social Democrats emphasized that the amendments in question were not anything decorative, as some parties in Federation wanted to characterize, concluding that they were aimed at creating responsibility for executing power at all levels.
This panel was organized by Helsinki Citizens assembly and United Women from Banja Luka.

There were as many as hundred students at the «Training Center-Open University» presentation held on March 29, in premises of the Faculty of Philosophy, Banja Luka. Students were informed about workshops to be done in this center. They were also familiarized with contents of HCA library and information available in our resource center. The first workshop begins on April 7, 2006, and is titled “Human rights in my community”.

“We are just about to die. This is a diagnosis of the economical situation in BiH”, estimated Mr Damir Miljevic at public session held on 13th of March in Banja Luka.
According to him only last year Bosnia and Herzegovina had a shortfall in the goods exchange with foreign countries in the amount of 7.4 billion BAM, which poses the largest one in the history of BIH.
Mr Miljevic added that a half of the BiH wealth is spent on state administration.
The part of pubic expenditure in the gross domestic product varies between 54 and 60%, which puts us in the line of most inflexible countries and systems in the world. In European countries, for example, this figure fluctuates between 25 and 35%.
“When speaking of employment and the right to work, situation is a total disaster” said Miljevic adding that the rate of unemployment in BiH has reached 40%.
Miljevic is of the opinion that it is the high time for BiH to turn toward economic development and employment issues. “ There is nothing new to invent, as the rules of economy are established long time ago” emphasized Miljevic, adding that BiH could, if nothing else, adopt some good solutions that are already in use in neighboring Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro, which stimulate jobs and generation of business, i.e. production.
The public session titled “Economic situation and the right to work in BiH -10 years after the war” was the third in series of six we have organized within the project “Training Center-Open University”, on the occasion of tenth anniversary of peace in BiH.

On Thursday, March 2, in premises of HCA we celebrated the tenth anniversary of this organization.
Numerous guests that attended this ceremony had opportunity to familiarize themselves with recently opened Training center named” Open University”, within which 11 trainings will be organized.
Apart from this, visitors could also take pleasure in exhibition of posters and photographs made in the period since establishment of HCA to this day.
This ceremony was enhanced by the first run of a documentary produced by HCA, titled “Cotenants”, about national minorities.

Public session «Support of Teslic municipality in financing youth organizations projects» held on February 15, 2006, was attended by large number of citizens, raising a lot of publicity. The session was held in presence of many youths. They spoke with Mr Borislav Predojevic, the town official, and expressed great interest to participate in future projects.Teslic municipality allocated a sum of 30.000 BAM for this purpose. According to Mr Predojevic, the municipal assembly is going to form a Youth Board at its next session in the end of February, that will be in charge of allocation of funds and setting criteria for project financing.

Only two rights have been fulfilled in Bosnia and Herzegovina ten years after the war-the right to freedom of movement and the right to property, although not to the full extent. This was concluded at the public debate “Human rights-ten years after”, which was organized by Helsinki Citizens Assembly” on January 16, in Banja Luka as part of project called Training Center-Open University.
According to Mr Vehid Sehic, who held introductory word, peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina are slaves of national identity, what, as he pointed out, leads to situation that we pay more attention what ethnicity is our G.P. or judge than to their professionalism. Professor Miodrag Zivanovic is of the opinion that the BiH Constitution is designed to suit national political parties, and that it is better not to vote as the winner in known in advance. On the other hand Mr. Sehic thinks that election is the only way for people to change the ruling structure that is incapable to perform their obligations. A representative of Roma national minority Mrs. Saha Ahmetovic said that things were not as bad as they appeared, emphasizing significant steps made toward protection and realization of Roma rights in the past ten years.

The book “Thank you for asking how I feel”, published by HCA Banja Luka was promoted on January 16, 2006 in Banja Luka. It contains feelings, hopes, fears and thoughts of BiH people about life in this country in the past ten years. One of people who participated in preparation of this book –Miodrag Zivanovic called it a collection of human issues , as the ordinary people spoke of their individual dilemmas and beliefs. According to him, among 500 answers contained in the book one may catch a glimpse of resignation and apathy. The reviewer Branislava Memon
said that our people once again showed how much charm and spirits they had.
Promotions of this book will also be organized in Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla and Srebrenica.

HCA Banja Luka and Federation of National Minorities of RS organized a seminar about writing projects , in the period between the 17th and 19th of November 2005. It was attended by 17 persons coming from different BiH associations of national minorities. Seminar is done as part of «Neighbours» project, and is aimed at strenghtening capacities of national minority associations. The project is supported by the European Union.