Project: “ENGENDERING PEACE BUILDING AT LOCAL LEVEL”

Period: july 2015. – december 2016.

The project aims at strengthening the implementation of gender equality instruments and increasing the activity of peace activism in two communities: Tuzla Canton (Federation BiH) and Birač region (Republika Srpska). The project will contribute to positive social changes, including gender equality and reconciliation, through the inter-ethnic dialogue, mutual activism, and networking beyond entity lines.

The project responds to multiple challenges of improving the status of women’s human rights and peace-building in Bosnia and Herzegovina. First, it is very important to continue with the creation of association of women within the frame of lobby groups in these two regions, so they would be recognized by politicians and citizens as initiators of affirmative initiatives that will attract other women too, in order to build communities without discrimination together. Harmonization of local regulations and acts in accordance to the Law on Gender Equality BiH will decrease direct and indirect discrimination while creating the municipal budgets, local policies, development strategies, action plans. The project will also provide firmer alliance between women from rural areas, women politicians, civil society activists and citizens in initiation of amendments to local regulations and acts, as well as monitoring of those.

Target Groups:

  • Young women activists
  • Young women and men from 3 municipalities in area of Tuzla Canton (Tuzla, Gračanica and Srebrenik) and 3 municipalities in area of Birač region (Bratunac, Srebrenica and Milići) (90), aged from 18 to 30 years, active in an informal group or youth organization, as well as other young people interested in topic of peace-building
  • Women Lobby Groups of Tuzla and Bratunac
  • Representatives of local authorities in 3 municipalities of Tuzla Canton (Tuzla, Gračanica, Srebrenik) and 3 municipalities in area of Birač region (Bratunac, Srebrenica, Milići).

It is particularly important to encourage dialogue with the entity gender mechanisms and local legislative and executive authorities for the purpose of building partnerships in these processes. Being aware of the complexity and multi-level framework of gender equality in BiH, this project targets local authorities and proposes a participatory and a “bottom-up” model which will bring the issue of gender equality closer to citizens, municipal officials and decision makers. Inclusion of women, their experiences, skills and creativity will be the basis of this approach. The project will offer a concrete space for dialogue, but also for analyses. It will provide development of local action plans and application of Law on Gender Equality in practice, with contribution and strengthening of cooperation between citizens, civil society actors and local authorities across entity lines.

It is also very important to continuously work on raising awareness of young women and girls about the importance of their participation in decision-making and peace-building processes, and to support young activists in active participation in promotion of peace-building in our local communities.

Project objective:

Ensured integration of gender equality and peace-building in relevant policies at the local level including both entities

 

Expected result 1:

Young people developed local advocacy action plans and strategies for peace-building in targeted communities

 

Expected result 2:

Improved implementation of the instruments of gender equality in target municipalities through increased participation of women’s lobby groups in decision-making processes

 

Activity 1:      Local peace-building debates

Activity 2:      Days of pacifism in Bratunac and Tuzla

Activity 3:      Workshop: Development of the Youth Action Plan for peace-building

Activity 4:     Meetings of young people members of “Advocacy youth forum”

Activity 5:      Public forums

Activity 6:      Advocacy for harmonization of municipal and local communities’ statutes with the Law on Gender Equality BiH

Activity 7:      Monitoring of work of local legislative bodies

Activity 8:     Conference”Compliance of local acts with the Law on Gender Equality BH“.

The project contributes to building of trust and reconciliation among young people through dealing with the past in order to build a common future. Active participation of youth in the process of peace-building represents one of the most important elements for the future of our country. The project targets young people who have not experienced the war and aims to develop their relationship towards the past and affirm the responsibility for a peaceful future.

The project supports cooperation of women, youth and solidarity, common effect on changes in local policies related to gender equality and peace building in area of Tuzla Canton and Birač region. By supporting solidarity among women and overcoming all kinds of boundaries (physical, psychological, social, ethnic and national),the project will promote the representation of the policies of peace and human rights, participatory democracy, equality and justice.