Sarajevo Open Centre demands minimum 40% of women ministers in the Canton Sarajevo Government

PRESS RELEASE

Sarajevo Open Centre, independent feminist civil society organisation that advocates for human rights of women and lesbian, gay men, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons, and, on national, European and international level, advocates for improvement of legislation and public policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, demands that the political parties that make the new assembly majority in the Canton Sarajevo (Democratic Front, People and Justice, Our party, Alliance for Better Future BiH, Social-Democratic Party BiH, Independent Block), while appointing the Canton Sarajevo Government, directly implement the provisions of the BiH Law on Gender Equality, because the government that does not have the relevant number of women ministers, cannot be legitimate or representative.

In the conclusions from the last meeting of the political parties that make the new assembly majority in the Canton Sarajevo, that took place on 8 November 2018, it is emphasized that the parties agree on creating the programme that will serve the interests of the citizens, that the staff will be discussed afterwards, and that it was agreed that only expert and competent persons will be appointed.

Emina Bošnjak, Executive Directress of Sarajevo Open Centre, point out that some of these parties have, in their work so far, showed dedication to creating true gender equality in the society and to equal participation of both sexes on the decision making positions, and she reminds that the BiH Gender Equality Law in its article 20. requires (1) that the state bodies on all levels of government, and local government bodies, including legislative, executive and judicial branch, political parties, legal entities with public authorizations… will ensure and promote equal representation of sexes in governing, decision making process and representing… (2) Gender equality is present when one of the sexes is represented with minimum 40% in the bodies named in paragraph (1) of this article. (3) Gender-based discrimination is the situation where there is no equal representation from the paragraph (2) of this article. Bošnjak announces that Sarajevo Open Centre will direct a letter to all the political parties that make the new assembly majority in the Canton Sarajevo, in which it will demand from the Canton Sarajevo Government to, in accordance with the BiH Law on Gender Equality, take all the necessary steps to achieve true gender equality in the Canton Sarajevo.

While forming the Canton Sarajevo Government the article 20. of the BiH Gender Equality Law has never been implemented. The new assembly majority in the Canton Sarajevo should prove that it is truly dedicated to the interests of the Canton Sarajevo citizens, by ending the practice of forming illegal and unrepresentative Government, as well as the ignorance of the knowledge and capacities of half of the population of Canton Sarajevo.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via e-mail [email protected] or phone number 033 551 000, contact person Maida Zagorac.