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SARAJEVO, February 16 (FENA) - Occurrences and forms of sexual and gender-based violence against persons with disabilities are not recognized enough, nor are they adequately treated and sanctioned in BiH society.
This was highlighted today at the round table in Sarajevo, where a project entitled "Disability and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence - Capacity Building Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence" was presented. The Association of Visually Impaired People of the Sarajevo Canton in partnership with the Information Center for Persons with Disabilities "Lotos" organized the round table.
This project aims to animate the public, relevant institutions and relevant organizations about the importance of finding an appropriate systemic response to various forms of violence to which persons with disabilities are exposed, including domestic violence, psychological and physical violence and economic, sexual and gender-based violence.
As Director of the Association of Visually Impaired People of the Sarajevo Canton Fikret Zuko pointed out on behalf of the organizers of the gathering, the mentioned project offers a new approach in terms of understanding the problems that, among other things, people with disabilities face.
“Almost as a rule, so far we have dealt, in general, with the human rights of persons with disabilities, their status in society, education, employment… However, we have always been aware that there is gender-based violence against these persons, although no one has ever talked a lot about it,” said Zuko.
He assessed that this new project brings to the forefront the problems arising from violence against persons with disabilities "and is oriented towards strengthening the capacity to combat this phenomenon, including the strategic and legal framework, as well as the systemic approach of the authorities and decision-makers in BiH.”
Program Coordinator of the Information Center "Lotos" Sandra Marković pointed out the need to strengthen the capacity of organizations that bring together people with disabilities.
“We desire to influence the general public, to explain that people with disabilities are not spared of violence and that they are at much greater risk than the general population, precisely because of the addictive position with perpetrators of violence,” said Marković.
MyRight's regional coordinator, Binasa Gorali, also stressed that the institutions of the system, as well as the organizations of people with disabilities themselves, do not sufficiently recognize the existence of gender-based violence, which further threatens the already difficult situation of this population.
The participants of the round table elaborated on the broader context of the status of persons with disabilities, with a focus on their stigmatization regarding disability and gender, but also how institutions can most effectively address these issues.
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