BiH: Povećana podrška specijalizovanim servisima podrške i pomoći ženama tokom COVID-19 pandemije/B&H: Increased Support to Specialized Services of Support and Assistance to Women during COVID-19 Pandemic

19. oktobar 2020.g. – Organizacije civilnog društva u Bosni i Hercegovini koje vode specijalizovane servise podrške i pomoći ženama koje su preživjele nasilje su se tokom situacije uzrokovane pandemijom COVID-19 suočile sa povećanom potrebom za pružanjem pomoći ženama. Uvođenje mjera socijalne izolacije do konačnog proglašenja vanrednog stanja je mnoge porodice postepeno uvodilo u prestanak rada, povlačenje u kuću, uspostavljanje fizičke distance, brige oko plaćanja svih obaveza, nametnut novi način školovanja djece i sve ostale probleme koje je pandemija donijela sa sobom.
Fondacija „Udružene žene“ Banja Luka je u periodu od izbijanja pandemije COVID -19 zabilježila povećanje podrške od strane međunarodnih organizacija, vladinih institucija i mreža organizacija civilnog društva koje djeluju u oblasti sprečavanja i suzbijanja rodno zasnovanog nasilja.

U periodu od aprila do oktobra 2020.g. RING Mreža protiv trgovine ljudima u Bosni i Hercegovini je donirala 700 KM za humanitarne pakete za bivše korisnice servisa, UNFPA ured u BiH je donirao 40 paketa sa osnovnim životnim namirnicama i higijenskim potrepštinama, Fond Otvoreno društvo, ured u Bosni i Hercegovini je donirao 40 000 USD za interventnu podršku ženama pogođenim COVID-19 pandemijom koje spadaju u najranjivije kategorije društva, inicijativa Pomozi.ba 40 paketa pomoći, UNWOMEN, ured u BiH 7000 KM a Agencija za ravnopravnost spolova BiH 19 434,96 KM za podršku radu Sigurne kuće za žene i djecu žrtve nasilja u Banja Luci.

U aprilu 2020.g. SOS telefon za žrtve nasilja koji vodi Fondacija „Udružene žene“ Banja Luka je primio ukupno 116 poziva, što je za 10% više slučajeva u odnosu na prethodni mjesec. SOS savjetnice su povećanje nasilja bilježile naročito u drugoj polovini mjeseca. U odnosu na april prethodne godine je došlo do povećanja od 20%, što se može povezati sa pandemijom COVID-19. Dugotrajni stres, gubitak zaposlenja, briga oko finansijske budućnosti je dovela do pojave prvih oblika nasilja i u porodicama u kojima se nasilje ranije nije dešavalo.
U toku aprila 2020.g. je takođe došlo do povećanja zahtjeva za zbrinjavanje žrtava u Sigurnu kuću za žene i djecu žrtve nasilja u porodici koju vodi Fondacija „Udružene žene“ Banja Luka. Centri za socijalni rad iz Banja Luke, Prnjavora, Ribnika i Srpca su u pet slučajeva tražili hitnu mjeru podrške u Sigurnu kuću za ukupno 11 žrtava.

Fondacija „Udružene žene“ Banja Luka nastavlja sa aktivnostima namicanja sredstava za interventnu podršku ženama koje su preživjele nasilje i prilogađavanjem specijalizovanih servisa potrebama korisnica.

19 October 2020 – Civil society organizations in the Bosnia and Herzegovina that are providing specialized services of support and assistance to women survivors of violence faced with increased needs for providing support to women during COVID-19 pandemic. Introduction of social isolation measures toward introducing state of emergency gradually led many families to stop working, home isolation, establishing physical distance, worrying on paying all obligations. New way of educating children was introduced and many other problems emerged in relation to pandemic outbreak.

In the period since COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the Foundation “United Women” Banja Luka recorded increase of support by the international organizations, governmental institutions and networks of the civil society organizations working in the area of prevention and combating gender based violence. In the period from April to October 2020, RING NGO Network Against Trafficking of People in the Bosnia and Herzegovina donated 700 BAM for humanitarian packages for women former beneficiaries of specialized services of support and assistance, UNFPA, Office in the Bosnia and Herzegovina donated 40 packages with food and hygiene, Open Society Fund in the Bosnia and Herzegovina donated 40 000 USD for emergency support to women from marginalized groups affected by COVID-19, Pomozi.ba initiative donated 40 packages of assistance, UNWOMEN Office in the Bosnia and Herzegovina donated 7000 BAM and the Agency for Gender Equality of the Bosnia and Herzegovina donated 19 434,96 BAM for supporting in work of the Safe House for Women and Children Victims of Violence in Banja Luka.

In April 2020, SOS helpline for victims of violence operated by the Foundation “United Women” Banja Luka received in total 116 calls, which represents 10% increase comparing to March 2020. SOS councilors recorded increase of violence especially in the second half of the month. In relation to the April 2019, 20% increase in number of SOS calls was recorded, which can be linked with the COVID-19 pandemic. Long term stress, loss of jobs, worrying about financial future leaded to appearance of the first signs of violence in the families that were not previously affected by this problem. During April 2020, the Foundation “United Women” Banja Luka also recorded increase in number of requests for sheltering victims of violence in the Safe House for Women and Children Victims of Domestic Violence in Banja Luka. The centers for social work from Banja Luka, Prnjavor, Ribnik, and Srbac requested urgent support measures of sheltering in the safe house in 5 cases of violence for 11 women and children survivors.

The Foundation “United Women” Banja Luka is continuing with fundraising activities for emergency support to women survivors of violence and adjusting specialized services of assistance and support to the needs of women beneficiaries.