EU supports access to justice for witnesses and victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The two day conference “Support to Witnesses/Victims in BiH” within the EU funded project “Ensuring Access to Justice for Witnesses/Victims through Strengthening Existing and Establishing New Witness Support Networks across Bosnia and Herzegovina” was opened on 12 November 2015 in Sarajevo.

This three year project started in January, and has a total value of 2.1 million EUR, with the EU being the biggest contributor, having provided 1.7 million EUR. The aim of the project is to improve access to justice and to rehabilitate conflict affected victims/witnesses through the provision of prompt multidisciplinary support in order to contribute to durable peace in BiH.

The project will establish nine new Victim/Witness Support Networks, improve the five existing networks and strengthen the capacities of at least 170 professionals from governmental institutions and nongovernmental organizations, together with members of the established networks for providing efficient and effective support to survivors/witnesses.

In his opening statement, Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation to BiH, Melvin Asin, stressed the importance of the project, as it provides input for better support to witnesses and victims, and their family members. “The authorities on all levels should recognise the importance of this issue and should provide support to the implementation of the project, which focuses on the empowerment of existing networks and establishment of new networks for support to witnesses and victims in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Asin underlined.

British Ambassador, Edward Ferguson, noted the importance of an institutional solution to the issues of victims of sexual violence. “There is an opportunity to use the reforms of the welfare system that are envisaged under the Reform Agenda to make changes in order to help survivors of sexual violence,” Ambassador Ferguson stated.

The President of Citizens’ Association Vive Žene, Jasna Zečević, thanked the international community not only for the financial support but also for the trust they put into the project.

The conference is attended by victims, experts, and BiH authority representatives.

The project is implemented by Citizens’ Association Vive Žene from Tuzla, together with Medica Zenica, Foundation Udružene Žene from Banja Luka, and the Agency for Cooperation, Education and Development ACED Banja Luka.

More information can be found on project’s website: http://www.svjedocipravdapristup.com

Europa.ba