Closing of campaign “Turn off sexual violence against women and girls” - Artists and young people from Mostar commit to preventing sexual violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar, 10 December 2021 – The closing event of the "16 days of activism against gender-based violence", conducted by UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with the support of the Government of Sweden, featured a panel discussion and a creative workshop held today in OKC Abrašević Club in Mostar. The event was attended by young people, including young artists from Mostar, as well as experts in the field of gender-based violence. 

This year’s campaign was aimed at preventing and stopping sexual violence against women and girls. One of the goals of the campaign was to engage in a dialogue with young people, especially about their understanding of sexual violence and the meaning of consent, as a key factor in preventing this problem. 

“It is very important that we talk to young people about this topic because it is a way to prevent and stop new cases of sexual violence and harassment in the future. It is important that young people understand that consent in intimate relationships must be a personal choice made without pressure or manipulation. Everyone decides for themselves what they want to do, and they can change that decision at any time. It is also important to understand that lack of resistance does not mean consent,” explained Marjana Tomaš, a psychologist from Mostar. 

Tomaš, along with local artists and youth, Dijana Tadić (Women of BiH, Mostar), Nedim Mičijević (Youth Power), the Street Arts Festival team and their creative supervisor, professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, Bojan Hadžihalilović, participated in a discussion about sexual harassment and how to recognize and prevent it. The discussion was followed by a creative workshop where participants turned their reflections into posters. 

“Art has always been a universal language in which we can communicate more easily, even when it comes to difficult topics. I think that today’s event was very important, primarily educational, but also inspiring for everyone who participated in the workshop. We received very interesting posters, each sending a unique message in its own way, to stop sexual violence,” said Marina Đapić, founder of the Street Arts Festival. 

The 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign ran from 24 November to 10 December 2021. During this period, a roundtable was held on the topic of “Combating sexual violence in BiH – Challenges and opportunities”, which emphasized the necessity of ensuring legal protection and adequate support for survivors of sexual violence in order to complete their recovery. 

The global Generation Equality campaign in BiH also launched the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, a joint action by national authorities, civil society and the international community to ensure improved support to survivors of sexual violence. 

According to UN Women Representative in BiH David Saunders: “The campaign brought attention to the scale and harm of violence against women and girls, but also the dedication and hard work of municipal actors and civil society to support survivors. However, we need to take more concerted action, today, together. Everyone has a role to play to stop all forms of violence. Youth are central to that change. They are the future. Their behaviour and attitudes will determine how communities and society think and act. The young are uniquely positioned to ensure a shift to a society where consent is the norm, where ‘no means no’, where there is zero-tolerance for all forms of violence against women and girls.”

For more information, please contact Mirela Laković: [ Click to reveal ] / 061 226 962.