What is Bosnia and Herzegovina doing for women victims of sexual violence during the war?
he United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adopted a list of issues related to the combined 4th and 5th periodic reports on the implementation by Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The CEDAW remains concerned about the situation of women victims of sexual violence during the war and the existing legislative framework in BiH.
In September 2012, TRIAL (Swiss Association against Impunity), together with nine BiH associations dealing with the issue of victims of rape or other forms of sexual violence during the war1 submitted to the CEDAW a report highlighting the importance that the latter continues monitoring the implementation of the international obligations of BiH towards women victims of those crimes.
On 22 October 2012, TRIAL participated in Geneva in a private meeting with the CEDAW, during which it raised issues related to the ongoing impunity of perpetrators of rape or other forms of sexual violence during the war; the lack of a comprehensive programme to ensure that all victims of sexual violence during the war receive prompt, fair and adequate compensation, as well as integral reparation, including restitution, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition. TRIAL also mentioned the limitations to the freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly recently experienced by women associations in the Prijedor area.
On 25 October 2012, the CEDAW adopted a list of issues to which BiH will have to reply before July 2013, when the CEDAW will hold its 55th session, examine the report submitted by BiH and adopt its concluding observations and recommendations.
In the list of issues, the CEDAW requested BiH to indicate what steps have been taken to amend the definition of rape; to implement the National Strategy for War Crimes aimed at the prosecution of those responsible for sexual violence and to protect victims and witnesses; to assist and compensate women victims of war; to adopt and implement the National Strategy for Transitional Justice; and to provide reparation in cases of women victims of enforced disappearances. It also requested BiH to provide information, among others, on the draft Law on Free Legal Aid and on the measures taken vis-à-vis women returnees and internally displaced.
In 2013, TRIAL and local organizations will submit further written information to react to BiH’s replies to the list of issues and to update the CEDAW on the developments, which will have taken place on the situation of women victims of rape or other forms of sexual violence during the war.
Pour plus d’information
- See the report submitted by TRIAL in September 2012 in view of the adoption of the list of issues (PDF not available)
- See the executive summary (here the Bosnian version) of the report submitted by TRIAL in September 2012 in view of the adoption of the list of issues (PDF not available)
- See also TRIAL’s website in Bosnian: trialinternational.org/BiH
1 Association of Women-Victims of War; Women’s Section of the Concentration Camp Torture Survivors Canton Sarajevo; Foundation of Local Democracy; Association of Women from Prijedor – Izvor; Medica Zenica; Snaga Žene; Society for Threatened Peoples; Sumejja Gerc; Vive Žene Tuzla
