Sarajevo, 11. March 2019 - In the presence of numerous officials today, the City Hall in Sarajevo hosted the handover and promotion of the Unified Resource Package for FBiH healthcare system’s response to gender-based violence, including sexual violence in conflict.

This document, the first of its kind in the FBiH and the region, was developed by the Federal Ministry of Health and the UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. The Resource Package is a tool for internal structuring and establishment of referral mechanisms for dealing with cases of sexual violence, which can be gender-based or occurring during conflict. It includes protocols, standard operating procedures for the health sector of FBiH.

Dr Aynabat Annamuhamedova, UNFPA Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasized that the trauma of conflict-related sexual violence survivors does not go away with time, but only grows if left untreated and is transferred to the next generation, to their families and communities. 
"We are very proud of the fact that the Federal Ministry of Health also recognizes the need and the importance of working on alleviating the trauma caused by rape" said Dr Annamuhamedova.
The resource package was created within the "Seeking care, support and justice for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in BiH" programme, Implemented by UNFPA, IOM, UNDP and UN Women. 

This Joint programme also seeks to ensure that other relevant sectors align their work in a similar way, which would ultimately create the basis for horizontal networking of systems that meet the needs of those who survived sexual violence.

"By adopting this Resource package, the Federal Ministry of Health has taken a leading position in the prevention, detection and treatment of gender-based violence. This document will be the basis for raising the capacities of the health sector, as well as other sectors and organizations dealing with the fight against gender-based violence ", stressed Dr Goran Cerkez, Assistant Minister with Federal Ministry of Health.

Gender-based violence presents one of the most serious and widespread forms of human rights violations. Every third woman in the world has experienced a form of violence in her life. Therefore, resolving this problem requires a committed and coordinated response from the society as a whole. 

“I’m delighted to be here to hand over this Resource Package to the Ministry of Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The resource package provides practical guidance for healthcare professionals.   It will help them support survivors of gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence. 
I am proud that the UK has been able to support the creation of this Package.  I hope it will be adopted across the Federation without delay.  Twenty years on, it is time to give survivors of sexual violence the dignity and support that they need and deserve”, said H.E. Mathew Field, British Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At the event, the initiation of the cooperation between the Federal Ministry of Health and the Commission for the provision of expert opinion on the status of victims of sexual violence related to the conflict, whose work is supported by the IOM, is also formalized.

The Joint Programme is championed by the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and funded by the Government of the United Kingdom, UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, and Government of Canada.