OSCE Mission to BiH condemns violence against women and calls for increased protection

SARAJEVO, 23 November 2011 - Fletcher M. Burton, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, speaking ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, condemned violence against women and called for the effective protection of victims.

“Violence against women exacerbates inequality between men and women, and must be regarded as a threat to human security,” he said. “It not only violates human rights, but also hampers development and reduces human capital in any country.”

Domestic violence is a form of violence against women that affects a considerable number of women in BiH. It must be unequivocally condemned, and the victims must be protected, he emphasized.

“The OSCE Mission will continue to assist national authorities and civil society in ensuring effective protection of victims of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence. The Mission is working with local actors in a number of towns in BiH, including Bijeljina, Foca, Siroki Brijeg, Istocno Sarajevo and Livno, to improve co-operation in responding to cases of domestic violence,” said Burton.

He added that the judiciary also plays an important role in effectively responding to domestic violence, in line with international obligations to prevent, investigate and prosecute all forms of human rights violations.

“Our Mission’s monitoring shows that criminal sanctions in domestic violence cases are often rather soft. Sentencing in such cases must be commensurate with the gravity of the offence and show a firm disapproval of this form of violence which affects the lives of many individuals and families across the country,” said Burton.

The July 2009 report “Response to Domestic Violence and Co-ordinated Victim Protection in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska” can be downloaded at http://www.oscebih.org/documents/osce_bih_doc_2010092008370731eng.pdf.