WUSC 61st Annual Assembly Achieving Gender Equality – Towards 2015 Gender Equality and Youth Health in Balkans Biljana Maletin & Lejla Somun-Krupalija Canada-Balkans Youth and Health Project

Overview of presentation Where are the Balkans? Empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming in the Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia) – towards 2015 Gender mainstreaming in the Balkans Youth and Health Project Challenges and accomplishments

Where are the Balkans?

Empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming in the Balkans Bosnia and Herzegovina

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - Empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming – –Priorities – –Indicators 3rd MDG and Gender mainstreaming mechanisms – –Legal and institutional frameworks – –Women’s movement and NGO activism

Priorities: – –Elimination of violence against women – –Poverty reduction – –Health improvement and prevention of diseases – –Increased women’s participation in public life Bosnia and Herzegovina Millennium Development Goals UNDP “BiH MDG Update Report: PRSP, Europe and Beyond” 2005.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Millennium Development Goals Bosnia and Herzegovina Initial CEDAW report, Violence against women part of Family violence prevention Every fourth woman victim of violence Who is not beaten does not learn Who is not beaten does not learn Author Sandra Dukic,

Poverty reduction – –Population living below poverty line 19%, target % – –Unemployment rates of youth 35%, target % – –Participation of women in labour market 37.2% – –Share of women in paid non-agricultural employment 39.2%, target 2015 is 45% – –Risk factors for women: disability, Roma ethnicity and education Bosnia and Herzegovina Millennium Development Goals UNDP NHDR “Millennium Development Goals - Where Will I Be in 2015?” Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2003 “Bosnia and Herzegovina MDG Update Report: PRSP, Europe and Beyond”, 2005

Health improvement and prevention – –Reproductive health issues and gender-based violence not tackled by health system and services – –Depression and neurosis affect women twice more often than men – –Men more often affected by attention deficit disorders, substance abuse and behavioural dysfunction – –Youth health affected by lifestyles, young men make majority of drug and substance abuse victims, while as many as 70% of young women living with partners do not use any form of contraception Bosnia and Herzegovina Millennium Development Goals UNDP NHDR “Millennium Development Goals - Where Will I Be in 2015?” Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2003 “Bosnia and Herzegovina MDG Update Report: PRSP, Europe and Beyond”, 2005

Increased participation of women in public life – –Women hold 16% of positions in parliaments, target for 2015 is 25% – –Women make up less than 3% of decision making positions in executive government, target for 2015 is 9% – –Young politicians supported by political parties are always male – –Youth movement not gender sensitive, majority of youth leaders are male Bosnia and Herzegovina Millennium Development Goals UNDP NHDR “Millennium Development Goals - Where Will I Be in 2015?” Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2003 “Bosnia and Herzegovina MDG Update Report: PRSP, Europe and Beyond”, 2005

Legal and policy framework: – –Gender Equality Law, 2003 – –CEDAW Initial Report, 2003 – –Law Against Domestic Violence, 2005 – –Platform for Action (incorporated in Gender Action Plan), 2005 – –Gender Action Plan (2005), planned budget of 15 million Euro Bosnia and Herzegovina 3rd MDG and Gender mainstreaming mechanisms Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Institutional framework: – –Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina and two Gender Centres at Entity level and Parliamentary Committees for Gender Equality – –Gender focal persons in all ministries (sectoral gender mainstreaming) – –Regional authorities established 100% of legislative and executive institutions – –Local authorities established 80% of legislative and executive institutions Bosnia and Herzegovina 3rd MDG and Gender mainstreaming mechanisms Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming in the Balkans Serbia

MDG 3: specific tasks in Serbia Poverty differences between men and women Gender inequality in the economy Gender inequality in the literacy and education Gender inequality in political participation Empowerment women in the public sphere Reduction of violence against women and children

MDG 3: targets By 2015 halve economic inequalities between women and men By 2015 increase the representation of women at all levels of political decision- making to at least 30% By 2008 complete the creation of systemic foundation for achieving gender equality By 2015 develop the system for the protection of female victims of violence

The unemployment rate in the Serbia resource: Women on a labour market in Serbia, UNDP, 2006

Economic inequalities The unemployment rate of women 27,4 % The rate of activity of women declined 57.9% Segregation of occupation according to gender Average monthly earnings – 17 % differences Differences in ownership - only 8% of women house owners and 17% car owners Discrimination/multiple discrimination of women from minorities/vulnerable group

Political participation 20% of women in National Assembly 4 women in government (out of 22ministries) 20 % of women in local authorities Election Law

Violence against women Every third women has been victim the victim of physical violence Every second is victim of psychological violence Criminal and Family law Lack of institutional support NGO activism leading in this area

Mechanism for gender equality Laws and policies : Gender equality law and Action plan for women (not adopted) Poverty Reduction Strategy CEDAW Initial Report and recommendations

Mechanism for gender equality Parliamentary Committee for Gender Equality Gender Equality Council of Government Local gender focal points/commission Province of Vojvodina – Secretariat for Labour, Employment and Gender Equality; deputy ombudsperson for gender equality, gender equality law

Challenges in Ensuring Gender Equality in Serbia Non –existing legal framework (Gender Equality Law and National Plan of Action for Gender Equality) Sustainability of GE mechanisms on national, regional and local level; Gender sensitive statistics; Lack of women in decision making positions Strong NGO sector for advocacy for gender equality Creation of Gender Equality Elite and Experts

Young Women in Action NGO CURE (“Girls”) from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina organise street action each year for the 16 days of activism starting with 25 November - international stop violence against women day. They also hold a young feminist festival Pitch Wise. Following movie is part of the festival and their interpretation of the position of young women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Gender mainstreaming in the Balkans Youth and Health Project Bosnia and Herzegovina andSerbia

Gender mainstreaming in the Balkans Youth and Health Project Gender Mainstreaming the objectives and activities Youth Challenges Gender Mainstreaming challenges and achievements

Project Impact Responsive, accountable, gender- sensitive and youth-friendly national health care system that promotes increased access to youth primary health care and helps to improve health status of citizens. Gender sensitive

Youth Challenges

Youth challenges Youth in the Balkans are affected by a high incidence of adverse health and social issues such as: Mental health problems HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health problems Substance use and abuse Violence, neglect and trafficking

Expected Outcomes of Project Strengthened primary health care development process that is inclusive, transparent, gender-sensitive and youth- friendly and that reflects effective coordination and cooperation among stakeholders. Strengthened primary health care development process that is inclusive, transparent, gender-sensitive and youth- friendly and that reflects effective coordination and cooperation among stakeholders.

Expected Outcomes of Project Increased youth friendliness, gender sensitivity and relevance to youth, including socially excluded, as well as young women, of primary health care services offered by health providers

Expected Outcomes of Project Increased contribution of youth including socially excluded and young women in formulating policies and primary health care services (to improve accessibility) for youth including socially excluded and young women. Increased contribution of youth including socially excluded and young women in formulating policies and primary health care services (to improve accessibility) for youth including socially excluded and young women.

PROJECT CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES Gender and Youth Participation BYHP Gender Strategy developed and continually implemented to ensure the gender mainstreaming in all Project activities Youth participation is continuously emphasized in all project activities and throughout the project structure

Challenges: Non existence of previous experience in conducting/implementing the whole Strategy Lack of experience in creating and implementation of Strategy when participative principle included Lack of cooperation between government authorities concerned with health, youth and gender issues

Challenges: Gender mainstreaming as totally new concept Simplifying and reducing gender policies to numbers – women/men, girls/boy Lack of existing cooperation between youth movement and gender/women’s table

Accomplishments: Gender mainstreaming exists as tool for project bodies, staff and working groups and supported by partner governments Gender sensitisation for project bodies, staff and working groups Local Action Sites youth network trainings taking place with gender component Project gender focal points participate in all activities

Accomplishments: Gender consultants actively participate in all phases of the project Increased interest of stakeholders in gender (less antagonism) Established close cooperation between consultants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia

Thank you for your attention! Get married! Author Sandra Dukic,