PUBLIC RESPONSE OF THE WOMEN'S NETWORK OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA IN REGARDS TO THE UNPROFESSIONAL AND SEXIST STATEMENT OF SEMIR EFENDIĆ, MAYOR OF NOVI GRAD MUNICIPALITY
Representatives of the Women's Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ŽMBiH) strongly condemn the statement of Semir Efendić, the head of the Municipality of Novi Grad, and demand a public apology for the unprofessional and offensive comments he wrote in connection with the information that an informal Club of Parliamentarians was founded in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament.
The establishment of such a club is an expression of the need for women parliamentarians to cooperate more effectively with each other in passing laws and policies aimed at improving the position and protection of (human) rights and citizens.
Also, freedom of assembly and association is guaranteed by domestic regulations, such as Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms.
Statement by Semir Efendić, Mayor of Novi Grad Municipality:
"Sex is a completely wrong basis for political organization and can only bring harm, especially to women who are brainwashed through such organizations to the extent that they are no longer capable of normal socialization with the rest of society.", shows a subjective patriarchal and discriminatory attitude towards women, which greatly harms the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina. society. ŽMBIH does not tolerate and condemns public and private opinion and attitudes that women are the ones who, according to tradition and patriarchal postulates, are unnecessary in the political and public life of BiH.
In his retrograde statements, Semir Efendić, the mayor of the municipality of Novi Grad, not only threatened the dignity and integrity of women politicians, but all women. With "hate speech" towards women that is in contradiction with domestic regulations and international conventions, Mr. Efendić called for the elimination of women from the political environment and the reduction of women's participation in that segment.
ŽMBIH is of the opinion that for sexist and discriminatory statements by the state must provide sanctions, especially if these statements come from those who are in charge of establishing conditions of equal opportunities regardless of sex and gender roles. We demand that the representatives of the competent institutions FINALLY take responsibility and start doing the work for which citizens pay them, and that they sanction all forms of violent behavior and discrimination against women by men, regardless of whether the discrimination or violence is carried out in public or private space.
If something is not done on this issue, Bosnia and Herzegovina. society will fall even deeper into the pit of lawlessness and hopelessness, by which we will send a clear picture, as much as possible to the domestic and international public, international institutions as well as the European Union, that violence against women, other and different in Bosnia and Herzegovina is institutionally allowed and tolerated.
On behalf of ŽMBiH, its members, women's organizations that deal with issues of women's human rights from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina condemn all forms of violence and discrimination against women, and demand from competent persons and institutions to protect citizens from persons who exploit their power.
We demand from the competent institutions the creation of a Security Strategy, which would protect all women whose safety is threatened or could be threatened at any level.
ŽMBiH does not want a society in which sexist and discriminatory behavior will be tolerated in private and public space, and they say that Mr. Efendić is a sexist and discriminator and that as such he cannot perform the function that requires him to implement laws and support positive and affirmative actions, which are for the benefit of all citizens!
With this letter of protest, we express our dissatisfaction with the statement of Mr. Efendić and we invite the public and all human rights organizations to react and demand from Mr. Efendić to issue a PUBLIC APOLOGY to the informal Club of Women Parliamentarians in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, as well as to all women, for violating the dignity of women and placing women in an unequal position in social and political life.