DVV International – Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with Center for Education and Research Nahla and the Association SARA Srebrenica, has launched an important project “Women’s Rights Ambassadors for Empowerment and Change in Bosnia and Herzegovina” funded by the European Union. Our common goal is to strengthen women's awareness of their rights, provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to better face challenges and actively advocate in local communities. The goal of these activities is to create a network of women who will recognize their rights and use the acquired knowledge to initiate changes – for themselves and their community. Through workshops, participants will receive tools, information and a support group, which has proven to be a key basis for achieving economic independence and a life with dignity.
Responding to Real Community Needs: Education on Women’s Economic and Social Rights, Activism and Personal Empowerment
The curriculum to be implemented in 2025 is designed as a comprehensive educational framework focused on:
● women’s economic and social rights, with an emphasis on activism and personal empowerment strategies,
● information on international norms and standards, as well as relevant local regulations.
Participants will participate in workshops covering topics such as the right to work, access to healthcare, violence prevention, access to social services and advocacy for women’s rights, relevant European Union policies.
This education responds to real needs that have also been recognized by our future trainers – women who, through their own experiences or the experiences of women in their communities, have witnessed the denial of rights, violence and other negative consequences of lack of information. We believe that their own struggle, activism and professional background have shaped them into the most relevant leaders for these specific activities and trainings. During the preparation, they pointed out that many positive initiatives in communities remain unrecognized, as negative narratives prevail, while good local policies and laws - although they exist - are not sufficiently visible. This training offers an opportunity to respond to the specific needs of communities, highlighting positive changes and empowering women for future challenges, while being carefully tailored to each community, rather than following the principle of "one solution fits all".
Local leaders and the training program
The program will include 200 women from three regions (Una-Sana Canton, Birač Region and Tuzla Canton), who will undergo training. The training activities will be led by professional and dedicated trainers 12 from local communities of Una-Sana Canton, Tuzla Canton and Birač Region, who bring a wealth of experience and professional dedication to working with women.
Their professional path includes:
● Psychology, pedagogy, law, sociology, work with women and support for local communities
● Working in a multicultural context, experience in leading groups, as well as the application of modern approaches to education
Through interactive methods, the trainers will help the participants to acquire skills and tools for everyday life and the promotion of their rights, with the support of the training for trainers held in Tuzla, December 7-8. The first day of the training included andragogical training led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Amina Isanović Hadžiomerović, where the participants learned about motivation, planning and evaluation in adult education through interactive methods and practical activities. The program was focused on developing key skills needed for effective knowledge transfer and support for adult learning. On the second day of the training, we focused on exercises from the program on social and economic rights that the trainers will implement in the field under the leadership of Msc. Fatima Bećirović.
The importance of the initiative: Why is now the crucial moment for action?
The social change, for the better, which we strive for, will not be possible without equalizing inequality, strategic investment of resources and time, and the application of an intersectional approach. Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina face challenges every day that require urgent action: unequal access to education and employment, increased violence and femicide, limited access to basic health services, especially in rural areas, and reduced space for activism, which further complicates the realization of basic rights.
This education offers concrete solutions and serves as part of the answer, providing women with a platform for change - personal and thus collective. Through a diverse group of local activists, future trainers of social and economic rights, the importance of continuous work on raising awareness of women's social and economic rights was confirmed. An important component of the project is that the trainers will listen to additional support needs, including psychological help, during their work with the groups. It is planned to provide a certain number of participants with professional psychological help, which responds to specific needs and contributes to their health. This aspect of the project is particularly important because talking about and accessing mental health in many communities in BiH is still a taboo, and providing support in this sense can have long-term positive effects on their lives, daily activities, and completes our basic mission of this project.
The project "Women's Rights Ambassadors for Empowerment and Change in Bosnia and Herzegovina" is funded by the European Union, and is implemented by DVV International - Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina, Center for Education and Research NAHLA and Association SARA–Srebrenica.