At today’s session, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the Strategy for the Prevention and Combating of Domestic Violence 2021-2027. year. Its strategic aim is to reduce domestic violence. The priorities are the improvement of systemic prevention, and the improvement of the system of comprehensive and effective protection of victims of domestic violence through the promotion of tolerance, non-violence and gender equality in the family and society, as well as the development of mechanisms for early recognition and elimination of risk factors for domestic violence.

By the way, this strategy is the result of comprehensive analyzes of domestic and international documents in this area, as well as the evaluation of the previous strategy of the same name, which was valid for the period 2013-2017, and the Action Plan 2018-2020. year. In November 2020, the Federal Government tasked the FBiH Gender Center with initiating activities to prepare a new strategy for the prevention and fight against domestic violence, and in accordance with this task, a seven-member executive team composed of representatives of competent institutions worked on the development of this strategy.

As an adequate social response with comprehensive preventive actions leads in the long term to zero tolerance for violence and a real reduction of domestic violence, this strategy includes the implementation of a series of measures. They are aimed at improving the protection of victims of domestic violence, social and health protection, psychological support, and placement in a safe house and provision of temporary accommodation. They also include legal advice, employment programs, education, and material support, economic empowerment and employment. Among the measures to improve investigative and judicial actions in cases of domestic violence, the Strategy highlights the improvement of conditions for victims of violence, children of victims and witnesses, as well as the efficiency of the work of officials in cases of domestic violence.

Bearing in mind the risk factors, prevention of domestic violence requires early recognition and prevention of childhood violence, increased coverage of education, economic empowerment, strengthening of social awareness, prevention of other forms of criminal acts and misdemeanors, as well as early recognition and treatment of addiction diseases.

As explained, the development of the strategy adopted today was preceded, among other things, by public discussions held in the headquarters of all ten cantons, in which 121 people participated. The thematic group for the development of this strategy consisted of 11 experts who practically work on prevention, protection and handling in cases of domestic violence, and the partner group for consultations in the process of developing the Strategy, 25 representatives of cantonal governments, competent institutions, relevant non-governmental organizations organizations and other interested parties. In this way, coordination was ensured with the aim of harmonized participation of all institutional and socio-economic actors, who held meetings during the process of drafting the document. This document also presents a sectoral strategy that achieves the goals of the FBiH Development Strategy 2021-2027. Also, the Strategy fulfills the obligations from the Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence), which Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified and undertook to ensure the conditions for preventing violence, conducting investigations, punishing perpetrators of violence, as well as and conditions of reparation for victims of violence.

Today, the government will submit the adopted strategy to the Federal Parliament for consideration and adoption, and the FBiH Gender Center, which prepared the draft document, is in charge of forming a special body to monitor the implementation of the Strategy.