Researches

Within its program activities, United Women Banja Luka are continuously conducting researches that are focusing on different areas and issues related to women's human rights and gender equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  We are conducting these researches independently and in cooperation with partner organizations throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.
 
The researches have action character - they represent an introduction or support to specific activities of public advocacy, educational programs, and actions of raising public awareness about the issues that are in focus of the work of United Women Banja Luka. In that sense, researches consist of concrete conclusions, as well as recommendations directed on actors and interested stakeholders in the process of making influence on solving the issue in the area of women's human rights and gender equality.  
 
Researches Implemented in the Period 2003/2004:
 
A. Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in Republika Srpska
 
Research was conducted within media project "Implementation of the Beijing Declaration in Republika Srpska - Strengthening Awareness about Discrimination of Women and Gender Based Violations of Human Rights," implemented by United Women Banja Luka in the period from June 2003 until July 2004, in cooperation with women's organization Amica e.V. from Freiburgh, Germany, with financial support of Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) from Germany. Through the activities of this project, we wanted to influence the increase of awareness about women's human rights, and issues defined in Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted on 4th UN Conference on Women, held in 1995.
 
The research has been conducted at the beginning and end of the project among women and men citizens of Republika Srpska, with the main objective of identifying level of awareness about discrimination against women and gender related human rights violations in our society. The research was conducted with time distance of one year, in order to acquire information about changes that happened in opinions of people during one year, and identifying issues related to process of implementation of Beijing Platform for Action in Republika Srpska.  
 
Both parts of the research were conducted in nine (9) cities - Banja Luka, Gradiška, Kozarska Dubica, Prijedor, Trebinje, Laktaši Čelinac,Teslić, and Doboj. In the first part of the research, we pooled 201 women and 201 men citizens, and acquired information was not disaggregated by age and social status of examinees. Because of that, we added these parameters in the second part of the research, which we conducted on the same number of women and men citizens.
 
First part of the research analysis focuses on comparing changes in opinion of women and men citizens within certain period, while second part of the research analysis includes age and social status of women and men, as key parameters in identifying difference in opinion toward the issues of discrimination against women and gender related violations of human rights. The second part of the analysis also uses specific questions directed toward acquiring information about opinions of women and men citizens about the activities of official institutions on implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and Gender Equality Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Women and men that participated in the research provided several answers on some questions, and added their commentaries, as the form of offered answers.  
 
*Public Awareness about Discrimination Against Women and Gender Related Human Rights Violations in Republika Srpska 
 
 
Researches Implemented in the Period 2004/2005:
 
B. From the Law to Real (Gender) Equality - Implementation of the Article 15 of the Gender Equality Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina
 
With the objective of organizing activities aimed for public advocacy for real implementation of the Gender Equality Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, United Women Banja Luka initiated and coordinated the field research directed toward identifying representation, role, and influence of women in political parties and local structures of executive governance in Doboj, Prijedor, Trebinje, Nevesinje, Novi Grad, Modriča, Kozarska Dubica, Gradiška, Višegrad, Banja Luka and Bijeljina. The research was conducted within the project"From the Law to Real (Gender) Equality," implemented in the period from March 2004 until March 2005, with the financial support of the Westminster Foundation from the United Kingdom.
 
The research has been conducted in cooperation with women from political parties and nongovernmental organizations in targeted local communities, and its results were used in latter phase of the project for education of women and men from local branches of parliamentary political parties, work on raising awareness about discrimination of women in public and political life of B&H, and creating public pressure on political parties and official institutions in Republika Srpska to increase representation of women in leadership structures, and positions with decision making power. Second phase of the project was implemented in the period from December 2005 until December 2005, with the support of the European Union.  
 
Methodology of the research and strategies for action in local communities, were determined through joint work of women from political parties and local NGOs on the workshop held in Banja Luka in the period from April 23 to April 25, 2004. Beside acquiring basic information about the work of political parties, the field research focused on determining representation and role of women in political parties, and attitude of political parties toward the issues of gender equality in B&H society through implementation of the Gender Equality Law in B&H, and other relevant documents.  
 
In preparing analysis of situation in targeted local communities, we paid special attention on monitoring activities and internal policies of political parties in relation to promotion of gender equality in public and political life, in order to determine current situation of level of discrimination of women, and neglecting responsibilities of political parties as key bearers of legislative and executive governance in local communities of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also wanted to identify their current activities on implementation of the Gender Equality Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the Article 15 of this Law, which relates to the promotion of gender equality in public and political life.
 
In the first part of the research conducted before the local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, held at the beginning of October 2004, women local coordinators were contacting local branches of political parties, collected information, prepared analysis, and used communication with political parties to inform them about provisions of the Gender Equality Law in B&H, and their obligation to implement the Article 15. of the Law in their local structures.  
 
These activities were directed toward creating additional pressure on political parties to increase number of women in their decision making structures, and ensure their active role in the work of political parties on the local level, in order to create positive environment for diminishing gender based discrimination in public and political life of Republika Srpska.  
 
Research and analysis of gathered information enabled us to identify real and specific issues that women politicians face in their local communities, as well as to make information about number and representation of women in leadership and executive structures of political parties and local communities in Republika Srpska transparent to the public.
 
The research represents valuable indicator of situation at the field in terms of implementation of the Article 15. of the Gender Equality Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which regulates obligation of balanced representation of both sexes in public and political life of Republika Srpska, It provides relevant information to nongovernmental organizations and all other stakeholders to initiate public advocacy actions aimed for insisting on real promotion of women on leadership positions in political parties and decision making structures, where is real decision making power.
 
The focus of the second part of the research was monitoring of the implementation of the election results and changes in terms of increase/decrease of numbers and role of women in creation of new local assemblies and bodies of executive governance at local level, activities on creation of local commissions for gender equality, their composition and activities on the local level. This part was conducted by the women local coordinators in the period from November 2004 until January 2005.  
 
*From the Law to (Real) Gender Equality 2004 (B/H/S languages version, with summary on English language)
 
 
C. Level of Awareness about the Issue and Prevalence of Domestic Violence Among Boys and Girls, Students of Eight Grades of Elementary Schools in Banja Luka
 
United Women Banja Luka conducted this research within the period of one week in December 2005, as contribution to the activities on Campaign of 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women. Target groups of the research were boys and girls students of eight grades of five elementary schools (ES) in Banja Luka - ES Borislav Stanković, ES Branislav Nušić, ES Branko Radičević, ES Georgij Stojkov Rakovski, and ES Jovan Cvijić. The main objective of the research was to identify level of awareness of boys and girls in eight grades of elementary schools about the issue and prevalence of domestic violence.  
Participants in the research were 206 boys and girls students, age of 13, 14 and 15 - 101 girls and 105 boys.
Results of the research indicate low level of awareness about the issue of domestic violence among boys and girls students. As domestic violence, they recognize exclusively physical form of violence with body injuries, or some forms of sexual violence, which can be seen as consequence of high number of sexual abuse images shown in media. Boys and girls that participated in this research do not recognize psychological and economic violence as forms of domestic violence.
As the most frequent victims of violence, boys and girls identified women and children. Husbands and fathers were recognized as the most frequent abusers. High number of boys and girls heard about the issue of domestic violence, predominantly through media. They identified alcohol abuse and drug abuse and as the most frequent causes of domestic violence.  
 
As the reasons why women suffer from violence, they identified prejudices that marriage should be preserved at any price, in order to preserve the family life. In high number of cases, children did not discuss the issue of domestic violence at any circumstances and occasions, because they believe this issue represents a private matter. Small number of boys and girls stated they occasionally discuss this issue at homeroom classes. 
 
*Domestic Violence in Elementary Schools in Banja Luka," December 2005 (B/H/S languages version)   
 
 
Researches Implemented in the Period 2005/2006:
 
D. Participation in the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) GMMP 2005
 
In 2005, United Women Banja Luka and Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Banja Luka acted as national coordinators of media monitoring for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 
Global Media Monitoring Project 2005 was initiated and globally coordinated by WACC (World Association of Christian Communications) with aim to promote the fair and balanced representation of both sexes in news media worldwide. It consisted of media monitoring and advocacy - on February 16, 2005 hundreds of participants in over 100 countries worldwide monitored the participation and portrayal of women and men in the news media on television, radio and in newspapers, with using specially developed monitoring tools - coding (quantitative) analysis and qualitative analysis. The results of the monitoring are published in global report and used in participating countries by NGO activists as a tool for advocacy and increasing dialogue with media to develop and implement guidelines and policies oriented towards more gender sensitive news media.
 
United Women Banja Luka and Helsinki Citizens Assembly Banja Luka prepared National GMMP 2005 Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was used as a model for our planned media activities in 2006.
 
*GMMP 2005 Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina can be downloaded under link publications  
 
E. Monitoring Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, March 8, 2006   
 
United Women Banja Luka coordinated media monitoring on March 8, 2006, with participation of ten women journalists and NGO activists throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. They monitored twenty seven (27) out of thirty (30) electronic and printed media in B&H - ten (10) TV stations, ten (10) radio stations, and seven (7) daily newspapers. Media monitoring was conducted based on methodology prepared for Global Media Monitoring Project in 2005. It enabled us to identify changes in position and portrayal of women in media of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one year after monitoring media for GMMP 2005 initiative, involve women journalists, NGO activists, and women politicians from ten local communities in B&H in common action of advocating for equal access and portrayal of women and men in media of B&H. 
 
Results of the 8 March 2006 Media Monitoring were presented on April 8, 2006 in TV Program "Woman Today" broadcasted at Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS). On that occasion, Amela Ba¹iæ, member of United Women Banja Luka, and Mira Lolić Močević, Program Director of RTRS presented the key results of media monitoring and discussed gender based discrimination in media of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*Report of Media Monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 8, 2006  
 
 
F. Field Research "Access and Real Influence of Women on Development of Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina"
 
As a part of three-year project "Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina = Informed Public Opinion and Gender Sensitive Media," United Women Banja Luka initiated extensive field research and preparation of analysis aimed for creating conditions for efficient and informed public advocacy actions for securing equal access to media for both sexes, better visibility of women in media, and securing real influence of women on gender senzibilization of media in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Results and analysis acquired through the field research will be the basis for planning of the public advocacy actions toward official institutions at all levels in B&H, as well as actions directed toward increasing gender sensibility of media in targeted local communities, which will be implemented in the third phase of the project. 
 
Research and analysis are focusing on following key priorities:  1). Visibility of women's issues and questions related to gender equality in media in both entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and 2). Identifying current situation related to access and real influence of women on development of media in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 
The field research "Access and Real Influence of Women on Development of Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina" was conducted in the period from March 2006 until September 2006, with participation of ten women journalists and NGO activists throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. It focused on 29 electronic and printed media that were monitored on the International Women's Day - 8 March 2006.
 *Complete report of the field research "Access and Real Influence of Women on Development of Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina"

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