Volunteers make a Comparative analysis with US and the Netherlands

From 16th to 19th October 2012, Association Vesta hosted two enthusiastic volunteers Colleen Cilwick (USA) and Kim Lensen (Netherlands), who approached us from the United World College from Mostar, BiH. During their stay with Vesta, Colleen and Kim had a chance to learn more about and participate in activities realized within the framework of the project ‘Rural women for socio-economic strengthening and equal participation in the local development plans’, that is being implemented with support of the USG Special fund for women empowerment projects, of the US Embassy Sarajevo, BiH.

In view of marking 15 October, the International Day of Rural Women and to draw attention to ever deteriorating position of the rural women in BiH, Association Vesta organised distribution of educational pamphlets to citizens, in the Tuzla town centre. Distribution of the pamphlets was done by the volunteers, engaged at Vesta through the Mostar's United World College educational programme. Vesta Radio broadcasted an informative/educational radio feature entitled 'For better tomorrow of the rural women'.

Association Vesta reminds of the need for improvement of the position of rural woman in BiH

A woman is a key actor on whom the survival, revival of rural communities and rural development in general depend. Due to this, the woman should have a central place in affirmation of the importance of the village and quality of life in rural communities. Even though it is the women who largely contribute to rural development as a whole, their position and problems they face, staring from the basic livelihood needs, to long-term interests in the overall development, remain at the margins of the processes and policies at the state, entity, as well as local level.

On Friday 5 October, as part of the efforts to mark the Children's Week (1-7 October 2012), Association Vesta Tuzla organised 2-hour-long get-together with children and youth of Tuzla in the Town Centre. The event was aimed at highlighting the position and rights of children in BiH, with specific focus on the issue of violence against children.

Celebrating the Children’s' Week - Public announcement by the Association Vesta

According to the official data by the BiH Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, by the end of 2012, some 6.000 cases of violence against children were registered in BiH! It is believed that, at the same time, many more children suffer in silence. Violence against children is far more prevalent than we think! Most often, it is hidden behind the closed doors and is inflicted by those to whom the children should be able to trust – parents, family members, teachers, peers. Consequences of violence against children are far reaching for the individual, but also the community and society at large.

The second seminar 'Development processes and the role of rural woman' for the representatives of the Cantonal Ministries for agriculture, Ministries for environmental protection and representatives of the Cantonal Gender Equality Commissions, was organised in Sarajevo, on 19-20 September 2012. The seminar was organised by the Association Vesta, with support of the FBiH Gender Centre, as part of the project 'Socio-economic strengthening of the position of rural women through active participation in the local development plans', financially supported by the Special Fund of the US Government aimed at strengthening the position of women, of the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The seminar organised in Sarajevo, by the Association Vesta

The Seminar 'Development processes and the role of rural woman', was held on 5-6 September 2012 in Sarajevo and organised by the Association Vesta with support of the FBiH Gender Centre , as part of the project 'Socio-economic strengthening of the position of rural women through active participation in the local development plans' , and with financial support of the Special Fund of the US Government aimed at strengthening the position of women, of the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The seminar convened the representatives of the Services/ Departments for rural development from 10 municipalities of the FBiH.