At today's session, the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the Strategy for the Prevention and Fight against the Domestic Violence 2024-2027.

The Strategy, which was initially received by the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament in May this year, was confirmed today in the session of the House of Peoples.

The goal of the Strategy is to reduce domestic violence through three main priorities. In the area of prevention, efforts will focus on preventing intolerance and violent behavior, as well as eliminating risk factors. The second priority involves measures related to the protection and support of victims of domestic violence, alongside appropriate actions towards the perpetrators.

The Strategy also aims to improve investigative judicial actions and educate professionals who enforce the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence in the Federation of BiH. Additionally, one of the measures seeks to enable female victims of violence to benefit from women's economic empowerment programs and sensitize employers to the readiness to hire female victims of violence.

With the Strategy now confirmed by the House of Peoples, it becomes the overarching strategic document for strengthening the institutional response to domestic violence and violence against women.

The adoption of the Strategy was congratulated by the OSCE Mission to BiH, noting that this is an important step forward in enhancing the systemic response to domestic violence.

“This is an important step forward in strengthening a systemic response to domestic violence, and it will be essential for the FBiH Parliament to continue monitoring and encouraging the implementation of strategic activities as outlined in the Strategy”, says OSCE.

The Mission also welcomes the unanimous adoption of the conclusions from the Joint Parliamentary Committees Thematic Session on the institutional response to domestic violence and violence against women by the FBiH Parliament. The Mission is looking forward to assisting the FBiH Parliament in organising the next Joint Parliamentary Committees Thematic Session in September on the response of judicial institutions and the third such session in November on the response of social services in cases of gender based or domestic violence.

“These concrete steps make a real difference in the lives and security of women, and indeed of all citizens. Much progress has been made, but much work remains ahead. The Mission will continue supporting all relevant authorities in activities that will contribute to a further elimination of domestic and gender-based violence throughout BiH”, says OSCE.