Sevlid Hurtic, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, recently took part in a roundtable focused on tackling violence against women in the country. The discussion particularly centred on implementing GREVIO’s findings and following up on recommendations from the Istanbul Convention’s Committee of the Parties in relation to BiH.

The event marked an important milestone in efforts to improve women’s protection and foster joint initiatives to address gender-based violence in Bosnia.

The roundtable brought together domestic and international experts, representatives from relevant institutions, non-governmental organisations, and other stakeholders engaged in human rights protection and the prevention of violence against women.

Alongside Minister Hurtic, key attendees included Johanna Nelles, Executive Secretary of the Istanbul Convention at the Council of Europe, and Bojana Urumova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their expertise added valuable insight to the discussion.

In his address, Minister Hurtic reaffirmed Bosnia’s commitment to implementing the Istanbul Convention’s recommendations, stressing that violence against women is a critical social issue requiring active, coordinated action from all relevant institutions.

“Today’s gathering aims to strengthen our joint efforts to combat violence against women and to ensure that all forms of violence receive an adequate response from both the state and society,” said Minister Hurtic. He further expressed gratitude to the Council of Europe for its ongoing support, emphasising the ministry’s prioritisation of implementing the Istanbul Convention and GREVIO’s recommendations.

Johanna Nelles, Executive Secretary of the Istanbul Convention, highlighted the importance of GREVIO’s recommendations as a crucial tool for enhancing institutional support for female victims of violence, commending Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress so far.

Bojana Urumova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, affirmed the Council’s readiness to offer comprehensive support to local institutions in bolstering protective mechanisms and establishing an effective system for preventing violence against women.

The event underscored the Istanbul Convention as a pivotal international standard for combating violence against women, reinforcing Bosnia’s commitment to advancing the protection and rights of women across the nation.