In the framework of the initiative to support Bosnian grass-root initiatives and civic movements, the third follow-up meeting took place on 27 March 2017 in Bosanska Krupa, in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On invitation of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – Research Association (BIM-FV) and in close cooperation with the Plenum in Bosanska Krupa, the seven groups which are supported by the BIM-FV and like-minded partners (ERSTE Foundation, Swiss Embassy In Sarajevo and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs) gathered to look back and present the results achieved during the last six months. The Swiss Embassy in Sarajevo was represented by Mrs Azra Šarenkapa.

All of the groups achieved remarkable results in their attempts to strengthen civil society on the local level in a sustainable way and to create just living conditions for the citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina in all areas of life. The success of the workers’ union ‘Sindikat Solidarnosti’ in their tireless engagement for worker’s rights needs to be stressed. Especially important is their initiative to file a complaint against the law on insolvency proceedings before the Constitutional Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). In its decision in January 2017, the Court found that the above mentioned law is unconstitutional. This law allowed the breaching of worker’s und human rights and allowed an exploitation of disempowered workers for years. The decision is therefore an important step to restore justice. Excellent work is also done by the Banja Luka Social Centre BASOC, which analyses the current hegemonic discourses through workshops, lectures and cultural events thus conducting a revision of the discourses of the past. Also the other groups – the Citizens’ Movement in Gračanica PGG, the Plenum in Zenica, the Plenum in Bosanska Krupa, the Informal Group for Social Justice in Prijedor and the Informal Group Srebrenik is ours – conduct important activities on the local level, act as public watch dogs and are important contact-points for the citizens.

A detailed description of the activities and achieved results can be found below in the Interim Report “Supporting Informal Citizens’ Groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina, September – December 2016″.

Contact person: Nina Radovic, a.enqbivp@havivr.np.ng