Human Rights House in Sarajevo, in partnership with the Helsinki Committee of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, finished launched project „Children’s rights – practice and strategy in BiH“.
After 14 round tables, their final destination was Sarajevo, where they held the 15th round table under the same project title. This round table, held on December 9, 2004, gathered more than 75 teachers, psychologists, social workers, directors, representatives of competent ministries and government, NGO`s activists, representatives of primary school pupils, activists from local youth councils and media, from the region of Sarajevo, Jajce and Srebrenica.
The Human Rights House in Sarajevo and Helsinki Committee in BH decided to use the observance of the 10th December as the International Human Rights Day to draw the attention of the authorities and public in Bosnia and Herzegovina to the widespread violations of children’s rights, which was linked with their project „Children’s rights – practice and strategy in BH“.
As a final act in this project, HRH Sarajevo and BH HCHR organized the 15th round table under the title „Children’s rights – practice and strategy in BH“, held in Sarajevo on December 9, 2004. This round table gathered more than 75 teachers, psychologists, social workers, directors, representatives of competent ministries and government, NGO`s activists, representatives of primary school pupils, activists from local youth councils and media, from the region of Sarajevo, Jajce and Srebrenica.
Even though Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified European Convention of Human Rights, Convention on the rights of the Child, whereby both Conventions came into force and became an integral part of the legal system of the country, the rights of children are almost invisible in the social life. Also, following other legal weapons, such as Dayton Agreement, Optional protocol about involving children in armed conflict, Protocol about children trafficking, prostitution and pornography and the National Action Plan for Children in BH for 2002 – 2010, one can say that the legal system in Bosnia and Herzegovina strongly protects children rights. The final goal of this protection should be the settlement of social justice, social equality and children’s protection. The complete care about children has been transferred to the entities, and in the Federation even to the cantons, so the children’s rights differ, it depends on a local legal regulation. That is why the civil society becomes more and more active. Also, unstable economic situation results with bad economic, social system of education, post-war trauma in families which is expressed through violence, alcoholism or drug abuse. These are the main features of the environment in which children of Bosnia and Herzegovina grow, educate and prepare to undertake responsibility and obligations within the human society.
Through this project, the Human Rights House in Sarajevo exchanged experiences, information with social workers, teachers, ombudspersons, and other NGOs and informal groups in the schools where this project started maintaining. The actors discussed about legal regulation and practice in a light of ratified Conventions, strategy of social and health care of children, their educational, social and cultural position, family care and influence on the growth of a child, and everything in a view of the fragmentized legislative system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discussion also was about Monitoring of the state of children’s rights in BiH and the measures for their special protection. The lecturers of the seminar were the members of Helsinki Committee of Human Rights, UN experts for social politics, and NGO`s members and experts in the field of human rights and children’s rights.
The Press release on the state of child rights was also made. It was sent to all media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to all competent ministries and governments in BH.
