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BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: MAPPING OF THE SERVICES OF SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE IN SARAJEVO (FEDERATION OF BIH) AND BANJA LUKA (REPUBLIKA SRPSKA) Baseline Report – 2nd Phase Foundation United Women Banja Luka, BiH January 2021 OBJECTIVE OF THE BASELINE RESEARCH | 2 The basic purpose of the baseline research is to collect and update the data related to existing services of rehabilitation and reintegration for survivors of gender based and domestic violence provided at the local level of Banja Luka and Sarajevo. The objective is to consolidate data on existing services, also including the information on possibilities for survivors of violence to use services of support and assistance. Beside mapping of the available services, baseline research also aims to recognize shortcomings and provide guidelines for improving services of rehabilitation and reintegration for survivors of violence to meet obligatory international standards in this area. LIMITATIONS OF THE BASELINE RESEARCH Since this baseline research covered the two largest cities in the Bosnia and Herzegovina, the key findings are indicative and cannot apply at the territory of the whole country. However, it represents the starting point and opens the space for further and more detailed qualitative and quantitative researches that would cover wider geographic area and the analysis of implementation of all obligatory international standards in protection and support to women survivors of gender based and domestic violence. Epidemiologic measures and restrictions related to COVID-19 that were in force during the period of data collection brought limitations in terms of human resources, women and men representatives of public institutions that can provide relevant data and methodology of data collection which, to a greatest extent, had to be collected online due to protection of health of the United Women Banja Luka team members that contributed to data collection/research and women and men professionals who contributed through providing the data. Additional limitation relates to the different legislation in gender based and domestic violence in two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, different and complicated administrative structure, and authorities of the governmental institutions for providing services of rehabilitation and reintegration at the local level. METHODOLOGY OF THE BASELINE RESEARCH The baseline research included direct interviews with women and men professionals from the targeted service providers as the key method of data collection, as well as online structured questionaries, telephone survey, data collection through sending requests for accessing information, and desk research. The baseline research methodology included structured interviews and a guide for interviewing women and men professionals. Framework for developing questionnaire are the standards and measures of support and protection of victims of gender based and domestic violence, regulated by the Chapter IV of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and | 3 Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, which includes Protection and Support (Article 18 – 28). Foundation United Women developed two separate questionaries – the first questionnaire aims to collect the data from women and men representatives of the governmental institutions and the second questionnaire aims to collect data from women and men representatives of nongovernmental organizations that are providing specialized services of support to victims of violence. The questionnaire for governmental institutions consists of twenty-nine (29) questions related to general information on services, including number and structure of employees and types and accessibility of services. The questionnaire for nongovernmental organizations consists of forty-nine (49) questions related to general information, number and structure of employees, and types and scope of available services for victims of violence. The questionnaire for nongovernmental organizations is more extensive due to the more comprehensive specialized services which they provide, and which are defined by the CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. The questionaries were largely used as a guide for an internal expert of the Foundation United Women for conducting 90-minute interviews with the representatives of the governmental institutions/NGOs. During the interviews, an internal expert applied following principles: voluntary information share, informed consent, and full participation of the interviewees. All women and men interviewees were previously informed about the objective of the interview and purpose of the collected data. The data for this phase of baseline research was collected in the period from July to December 2020. TARGETED LOCATIONS Targeted geographical locations for the baseline research are Sarajevo and Banja Luka, two largest cities in the Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in two different entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina – the Federation of BiH and the Republika Srpska. Sarajevo is the capital of the Bosnia and Herzegovina, and administrative, economic, cultural, university and sport center of the country. City of Sarajevo is the local self-governance unit consisting of four city municipalities - Stari Grad, Centar, Novo Sarajevo and Novi Grad. Estimated population of Sarajevo is 688,354 inhabitants. Banja Luka is the capital of Republika Srpska, and political, administrative, financial, university, and cultural center of the Republika Srpska. According to the final data of Population Census in BiH, Banja Luka with wider city area has 135.059 inhabitants. FOCUS OF THE BASELINE RESEARCH | 4 Focus of the baseline research is the Chapter IV of the CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence related to Protection and Support (Articles 18 – 28). In November 2013, the Bosnia and Herzegovina became the 6th country member of the Council of Europe that ratified the CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, and it entered into force on 1 August 2014. With its ratification, the Bosnia and Herzegovina obliged to undertake legislative and other measures to ensure legal, institutional, and organizational framework for prevention of violence against women, protection of victims of violence, and punishment of the perpetrators of violence. Article 18 – General [1] Parties shall take the necessary legislative and other measures Obligations to protect all victims from any further acts of violence. [2] Parties shall take the necessary legislative and other measures, in accordance with internal law, to ensure that there are appropriate mechanisms to provide for effective cooperation between all state agencies, including the judiciary, public prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, local and regional authorities as well as nongovernmental organizations and other relevant organizations and entities, in protecting and supporting victims and witnesses of all forms of violence covered by the scope of this Convention, including by referring to general and specialist support services as detailed in Articles 20 and 22 of this Convention. [3] Parties shall ensure that measures taken pursuant to this chapter shall: - be based on a gendered understanding of violence against women and domestic violence and shall focus on the human rights and safety of the victim; - be based on integrated approach which considers the relationship between victims, perpetrators, children, and their wider social environment; - aim at avoiding secondary victimization; - aim at the empowerment and economic independence of women victims of violence; - allow, where appropriate, for a range of protection and support services to be located on the same premises; - addressing the specific needs of vulnerable persons, including child victims, and be made available to them; [4] The provision of services shall not depend on the victim’s willingness to press charges or testify against any perpetrator. [5] Parties shall take the appropriate measures to provide consular and other protection and support to their nationals and other victims entitled to such protection in accordance with their obligation under international law. Article 19 – Information Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that victims receive adequate and timely information on | 5 available support services and legal measures in a language they understand. Article 20 – General [1] Parties shall take necessary legislative or other measures to Support Services ensure that victims have access to services facilitating their recovery from violence. These measures should include, when necessary, services such as legal and psychological counseling, financial assistance, housing, education, training, and assistance in finding employment. [2] Parties shall take the necessary initiative or other measures to ensure that victims have access to health care and social services and that services are adequately resourced, and professionals are trained to assist victims and refer them to the appropriate services. Article 21 – Assistance in Parties shall ensure that victims have information on and access to Individual/Collective applicable regional and international individual/collective Complaints complaints mechanisms. Parties shall promote the provision of sensitive and knowledgeable assistance to victims in presenting any such complaints. Article 22 – Specialized

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