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Final workshop for the development of the Action Plan for the Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence in Tuzla Canton

By Jasminko Bijelić  Published On 26/02/2024
Ministarstvo za rad, socijalnu politiku i povratak Tuzlanskog kantona i Koordinacija za prevenciju i borbu protiv korupcije TK uz podršku Misije OSCE-a BiH, regionalni ured u Tuzli i Gender centra Ferderacije BiH 20. februara 2024. godine su održali radionicu pod nazivom „Izrada akcionog plana za prevenciju i borbu protiv nasilja u porodici Tuzlanskog kantona 2024-2025”. Na završnoj radionici izrade Akcionog plana za prevenciju i zaštitu od nasilja u porodici u Tuzlanskom a message was sent to the canton that domestic violence is a social problem and that a multi-sector approach and responsibility should be taken in solving it. Prorites are also recognized. "One of the priorities is to improve and enhance the processing procedures. The intention is to review the activities that the competent institutions will work on in the next two years and what is needed to implement them, both at the federal and cantonal levels. The coordination team consists of 10 representatives of the relevant ministries and competent institutions, and with this we want to send a message that domestic violence is a social problem and that in order to solve it, we need to have a multi-sectoral approach. Since June last year, the coordination team has been working with competent institutions and organizations from all sectors to prepare an action plan with the aim of ensuring that it is in line with needs," said Suada Selimović, expert advisor at the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Return and coordinator of the team.
 

"The OSCE Mission would certainly like the problem of domestic violence to exist as little as possible in society, however, adopting legal regulations and legal acts does not solve the problem itself. In order to come to some kind of solution, a coordinated approach of all institutions in society is needed. The contribution of the civil sector is needed. The goal is to improve the system that currently does not exist, to create a strategy that will cover the future period and to implement it. The priorities are improving procedures, educating all those responsible in courts, prosecutors' offices, social work centers, and mental health centers," explains Damir Gnjidić, Head of the OSCE Mission Field Office in BiH in Tuzla. It is a unique international document that encompasses the coordination, prevention and protection of investigative and judicial actions. 
Radionica Izrada akcionog plana za prevenciju nasilja slika 2
According to Zlatan Hrnčić, an expert advisor at the Gender Center of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for the first time, actions at all levels of government have been coordinated. "We are additionally empowering victims of domestic violence, working with perpetrators to learn other patterns of behavior, or to solve this problem in the long term. Preventive action is important, as is improving investigative judicial actions. So, the goal is to reduce violence, and if it does happen, to have a timely response, both institutional and from the entire social community. Now, for the first time, we have a single international document that has 4 areas: coordination, prevention, protection, and investigative and judicial actions. We have a federal strategic document and are in the process of developing all 10 cantonal programs of measures," emphasizes Zlatan Hrnčić, expert advisor at the Gender Center of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to statistical data, three and a half thousand reported cases of domestic violence are recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina annually. In the Federation, 1,500. That is why prevention is of great importance, said the workshop participants. The revised Action Plan for Prevention and Protection from Violence, which will be submitted to the Tuzla Canton Government for adoption by the end of March this year, will contribute to this. The coordination team has been working with relevant institutions and organizations from all sectors since June last year to prepare an action plan with the aim of ensuring that it is in line with needs, it was said on this occasion. Currently, all 10 cantons are currently developing cantonal programs of measures, or action plans, which are aligned with the strategic document, the Strategy for the Prevention and Combating of Domestic Violence 2024-2027, which is in line with the Istanbul Convention. Corrections to the current action plan should be completed by the end of March, when they will be submitted to the Government of the Canton of Tuzla for adoption.

Representatives of IC "Lotos" actively participated in the workshop and presented the importance of including disability issues in policies related to human rights, as well as the challenges experienced by persons with disabilities through the increased risk of exposure to violence in everyday life.
Radionica Izrada akcionog plana za prevenciju nasilja slika 3