BiH: 16 Days of Activism with a Focus on Violation of Women’s Rights During Covid 19 Pandemic/BiH: 16 dana aktivizma sa fokusom na kršenje prava žena tokom pandemije Covid 19
26 November 2020 – For the past twenty years, Foundation United Women from Banja Luka, BiH commemorates the global campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, which begins on 25 November, the International Day of Combating Violence Against Women, and end on 10 December, the International Human Rights Day.
The Campaign started with the street action in Banja Luka on 25 November, with objective of distributing info leaflets on available services of assistance and support to women survivors of violence and increasing awareness of local community on violence against women. This year the Campaign focuses on position of women with experiences of violence during pandemic Covid 19, and we put emphasis on importance of keeping services of assistance and support available to victims of violence.
Women victims of domestic and partner violence are in increased risk of violence because measures impose isolation at homes that are still not safe place. Isolation with the perpetrator of violence can reduce possibilities for women to seek for assistance and support. In 2020, the Foundation United Women records increase in number of requests for support and assistance from women survivors of violence for 20% in relation to 2019, and increased scope of problems they encountered, additional financial crisis that contributes to impossibility of exiting violent partnership and reduced availability of assistance and support in the local community.
Since the beginning of 2020, the Foundation United Women received calls on SOS helpline from 1078 women. Safe House for Women and Children Victims of Violence provided shelter for 16 women and 24 children and provided them assistance and support in recovery from violence. Over 200 women contacted free legal counseling center of the Foundation for legal assistance and support. With assistance of the international donors, the Foundation United Women provided 421 service of financial support to women through covering costs of rent and utilities, medical treatment, food, and distributed humanitarian packages of support to the most vulnerable categories of women.
During 2020, in cooperation with partner organizations throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Foundation United Women provided legal aid to women in labor rights protection. In the period from March to September 2020, 81 women from 10 cities in BiH requested legal assistance and support in cases of discrimination at work. Total number of individual requests was 74, while 7 women requested assistance as a group case of violation of rights at workplace. Majority of women beneficiaries of the legal assistance were women workers from the private sector (46).
11 women beneficiaries were facing gender-based discrimination at work related to violation of maternity leave status, and majority of violations of labor rights were related to pandemic Covid 19. Women requested legal assistance because they were sent on forced and unpaid annual leave in case of termination of employment due to pandemic. All women legal advice and support, as well as consultations related to undertaking follow up steps to protect their rights.
26. novembar 2020.g. – Fondacija Udružene žene iz Banja Luke dvadesetu godinu za redom obilježava svjetsku kampanju 16 dana aktivizma protiv nasilja nad ženama koja počinje 25. novembra na Međunarodni dan borbe protiv nasilja nad ženama a završava se 10. decembra na Međunarodni dan ljudskih prava.
Kampanja je počela uličnom akcijom u Banja Luci 25. novembra 2020.g. sa ciljem podjele informativnih letaka o dostupnim servisima pomoći i podrške ženama koje su preživjele nasilje i podizanja svijesti lokalne zajednice o nasilju prema ženama. Ove godine u fokusu kampanje je položaj žena sa iskustvom nasilja za vrijeme pandemije koja je izazvana virusom COVID 19 i ističemo značaj održavanja servisa podrške i pomoći dostupnih za žrtve nasilja.
Žene koje su žrtve porodičnog i partnerskog nasilja su u povećanom riziku od nasilja jer mjere nalažu izolaciju u porodičnim domovima, koji za žrtve nisu uvijek sigurno mjesto. Izolacija sa počiniocem nasilja može uticati na smanjivanje mogućnosti za potraživanje pomoći i podrške. U 2020.g. Fondacija Udružene žene bilježi porast zahtjeva za podrškom i pomoći od žena koje su preživjele nasilje za 20% posto u odnosu na 2019. godinu i veći obim problema sa kojima su se susrele, dodatnu materijalnu krizu koja doprinosi nemogućnosti izlaska iz nasilne zajednice i smanjenu dostupnost pomoći i podrške u lokalnoj zajednici.
Od početka 2020. godine Fondaciji „Udružene žene“ se obratilo 1078 žena na SOS telefon, Sigurna kuća za žene i djecu žrtve nasilja je zbrinula 16 žena i 24 djeteta i pružila im pomoć i podršku u oporavku od nasilja. U besplatno pravno savjetovalište se za pravnu pomoć i podršku se obratilo preko 200 žena, a Fondacija je uz pomoć međunarodnih donatora pružila 421 uslugu materijalne podrške u vidu pokrivanja troškova režija, liječenja i nabavke lijekova, nabavke hrane i distribuirala humanitarne pakete podrške najranjivijim kategorijama žena.
U toku 2020. godine zajedno sa partnerskim organizacijama iz cijele Bosne i Hercegovine, Fondacija Udružene žene je pružala pravnu podršku ženama iz oblasti radnih prava. U periodu od marta do septembra 2020. godine, 81 žena je potražila pravnu pomoć i savjet u oblasti diskriminacije na radu iz 10 gradova u Bosni i Hercegovini. Ukupan broj individualnih obraćanja je 74 dok se 7 žena obratilo zbog grupnog slučaja povrede prava na radnom mjestu. Korisnice pravne pomoći su najčešće bile radnice u privatnom sektoru (46).
Kod 11 korisnica rodno zasnovana diskriminacija je bila vezana za povrede prava porodilja, a najviše slučajeva povrede radnih prava žena je uzrokovano pandemijom Covid 19. Žene su se obraćale za pravnu pomoć jer su poslane na prinudni i neplaćeni godišnji odmor i u slučaju prekida radnog odnosa usljed pandemije. Sve žene su dobile pravni savjet i podršku, kao i konsultacije u vezi preduzimanja narednih koraka u pravcu zaštite prava.
Photo: Foundation United Women Banja Luka