Sarajevo – A UN Trust Fund conference to end violence against women kicked off in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s BiH capital on Monday, aiming to mobilise the public to help fight violence against women.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Zeljko Komsic, chairman of BiH’s Presidency, said that today institutions enact laws in accordance with the highest European standards, but that there was a problem with implementation.
“Many factors influence this. The question is how democratic society, institutions, public opinion, religious communities accept and realise this,” Komsic said, adding that violence against women is not and should not be the problem of an individual.
The public has a duty, he said, to support abused women and girls and actively work on creating preconditions for preventing this same abuse, which leads to unprecedented consequences for the victim and the environment in which the victim lives.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, said that 2020 will mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, which is considered a visionary blueprint on women’s rights and empowerment.
“As a global community, we can act now to end all forms of sexual violence, including rape, and work together to end discrimination, and I commend everyone to join us in this endeavour,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
“Only when all actors work together, including civil society and the government, can we expect an end to violence against women and girls,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
