„Ensuring Access to Justice for Witnesses / Victims through the Strengthening of Existing and Establishment of New Networks of the Support to Witnesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina“, funded by European, is implemented by „Vive Zene“Tuzla Association in partnership with three non-governmental organizations: NGO „Medica“ Zenica, Foundation „Udruzene Zene“ Banja Luka and Agency for Cooperation, Education adn Development „ACED“ Banja Luka.
As a part of the project „Ensuring Access to Justice for Witnesses / Victims through the Strengthening of Existing and Establishment of New Networks of the Support to Witnesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina“, implemented by “Vive Zene” Association from Tuzla in partnership with Association “Medica“ – Zenica, Foundation “Udruzene Zene“ – Banja Luka and Agency for Cooperation, Education and Development – Banja Luka, funded by European Union, organized was a round table on April 23 2015 in Gorazde.
The round table was organized by Association “Medica” – Zenica and Agency for Cooperation, Education and Development – Banja Luka, with the aim of establishment of an institutional network for the support to witnesses / victims in the area of Bosna – Podrinje Canton. The Prime Minister of Bosna – Podrinje Canton has participated this round table, together with representatives of NGO sector.
Participants were welcomed by Ms Sabiha Husic MA, director of “Medica“ – Zenica, and expressed her happiness to see such a large number of round table participants and presented recently-established institutional networks, as well as benefits and advantages of multi-disciplinary and coordinated work.
Participants were also addressed by Prime Minister of Bosna-Podrinje Canton Government, Mr Emir Okovic MA, expressing his full support to the future cooperation and establishment of institutional network for the support to survivors / witnesses of war crimes, sexual abuse and other crimes committed in the area of Bosna-Podrinje Canton (BPK). The round table pointed out the importance of adequate support to victims before, during and after trial proceedings. Passing their 22 years long experience of “Medica” Zenica, Ms Husic stressed out that one of the objectives is to transfer good experiences in the process of establishment of witnesses / victims support network to the territory of the whole Bosnia and Herzegovina. Round table participant, Mr Ramiz Pivic, Head of the War Crimes Department at the Ministry of Interior of Zenica-Doboj Canton (ZDK) passed his experiences in the work with witnesses / victims at the territory of ZDK, and highlighted the need for a much sensitised approach in providing psycho-social support to beneficiaries of these institutional networks.
Inela Kaknjo psychologist from “Medica“ Zenica presented the Action Plan made by coordinating bodies consisting the institutional network, created in March 2015, during four-days education, on which occasion participants discussed experiences which institutional network obtained during the short period of their existence and how to improve the functioning of network
During the round table discussion, exchanged were experiences and information and recognized were needs and, consequently, the first step towards the establishment of institutional support to witnesses / victims in BPK has been made. It is agreed to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation between Bosna-Podrinje Cantonal Government and Project partners.
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