“Support to witnesses/victims in BiH?” has started today November 12 in the hotel in Hollywood Srajevu and will continue until 13.11. 2015. The Conference is organized by U. G. “Vive žene” Tuzla, in partnership with U. G. “: Medica Zenica”, Foundation “United Women” Banja Luka and the Agency for cooperation, education and the development “ACED” Banja Luka.
An event is a part of project “Ensuring access to Justice for witness/victims through strengthening existing and establishing new Witness support Networks across BiH” which is funded by the European Union.
Organisers of the conference said that the aim of the project is the improvement of access to justice and rehabilitation for victims/witnesses through providing timely multidisciplinary support in order to prevent future conflict and contribute to sustainable peace in BiH.
Participation in the conference took the 150 representatives of the Association of victims, civil society organizations that provide support for this population as well as representatives from BiH and international institutions.
At the beginning of the conference participants welcomed Melvin Asin, head cooperation in EU delegation in BiH, who on this occasion, emphasized the importance of the implementation of the project given that although it has been 20 years since the war, wounds still feel.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has gone through a long time after the signing of the Dayton peace Agreement in 1995, in the political, social and economic terms. The international community has invested a significant part of the money and time in order to satisfy infrastructure reconstruction and institutions. Efforts have been made to rebuild friendship and relations between the different groups sometimes were not so successful. However, deep ethnic divisions and continue to paralyze society and to preventing country to reach its strategic potentials and to go to the meeting the European Union. And the us even after 20 years after the war we have different histories and interpretations of one just the conflicting stories themselves lead to reconciliation ceases – said between are being trained in his address Mr. Asin.
The importance of the establishment of institutional support network is also recognized by the British Embassy in BiH and the guests were addressed by Edward Ferguson, Ambassador of Great Britain in BiH, who on that occasion supported organizations that implement the project and pointed out their effort, which is according to his words part of reform agenda or strategy part of European Union, and that is what social protection. The Ambassador emphasized the importance of conversation on support survivors of sexual violence and in particular, and that the governments in BiH should seize the opportunity to act through the establishment of networks.
In the name project team guests were addressed by Jasna Zecevic, director of “Vive Žene” who said that long-standing experience in the work with surviving war and war trauma would allow it to “Vive Žene” ,together with the partners have designed the program, which is aimed at establishing a network of institutional support for witnesses, functional teams, training on multidisciplinary psychosocial work with witnesses/victims, as well as strengthening capacity of local non-governmental organizations and outreach activities on the importance of providing support survivors/witnesses.
– It is vital development multidisciplinary integrated metodology in work with witnesses/victims, and in this way allow them to receive quality psychosocial, psychological and legal assistance is needed before, during and after the trial – pointed out the Zecevic.
– It is very important that these last eleven months partner organizations together are trying to send a strong message, above all institutions that there will be less and less whitnesses, if we all together dont join capacities and enable witnesses to know when, where and to whom they can turn to, and which support and help they can get, because only so we can say that they will have adequate support before, during and after the testimony – pointed out the Sabiha Husic, director of UG Medica Zenica.
After the official speeches achieved project results were presented, and participants of the conference had the opportunity to see the movie produced by Medica Zenica ” We are still alive,” life story of survivor of wartime rape.
In the following working part of conference Teufika Ibrahimefendić, gestalt psychoterapeutist from “Vive Žene” held a presentation on “The importance of psychological support witnesses”. After the presentation the participants listened an video statement of the Witness – experience with testimonies, after which the work continued in the groups on topic “The existing models and programs of support to victims/witnesses in BiH”.
The conference ends on 13 November when it will be presented and the results of work in groups as well as their own Conference conclusions.
B/H/S