CURE Foundation activists marked International Women’s Day in traditional 8th March march in Sarajevo. In front of the Cathedral numerous activists gathered, as well as representatives of organizations working for gender equality in BiH and citizens of Sarajevo and other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At 12:00 the march started and everyone present headed towards the Square of children in Sarajevo carrying banners.
Through the march activists have aimed to remind the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the true values ​​of the 8th March, but also draw attention to the actual position of women in BiH society. Specifically, women in Bosnia and Herzegovina still do not have full equality in political, public and private life. The implementation of laws concerning women’s human rights still remains only on paper, and Bosnia and Herzegovina has no adequate measures for monitoring the implementation of laws and resolutions it signed.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a signatory of a number of conventions that bind to their application, but unfortunately they often have only an indirect role and are used only for the development of national legislation and policies in the area of women’s rights and gender equality, and very rarely lawsuits and judgments are invited to standards of ratified conventions. It is not yet established a functioning mechanism of legislation or establish institutional system regarding the observed cases of discrimination on the basis of which​​policies preventing discrimination against women would be made.
The focus of the march was placed on economic, political and private status of women in Bosnia, and violence against a women which is widespread. The cause of this is very poor status of women in all spheres of life is still present patriarchal system of society and the transition period that puts women in the background. The big problem are the different systems of maternity benefits and other rights in the field of protection of families with children that mothers put in unequal position depending on the area in which they live.
Women in BiH still do not have full equality in political, public and private life. The implementation of laws concerning women’s human rights remains only on paper, and Bosnia and Herzegovina has no adequate measures for monitoring the implementation of laws and resolutions that are signed.
After completing the march, activists of the CURE Foundation together with activists of other organizations who support the march were sharing promotional and educational material to inform citizens of the 8th of March and the position of women in the country.
The 8th March has been marked since the beginning of the 20th century with amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions. Female employees in the garment and textile industry have publicly demonstrated on 8th of March,1875 in New York.
