Potential new members of the IRIS Network!

2024-05-28

During the last week, within the project „Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Initiative for Vulnerable Groups“, the representatives of ASB SEE visited the Foundation Women’s Center from Trebinje and Association Sumero from Sarajevo, both being potential future members of the IRIS Network.

Following the post-evaluation activities related to joining the IRIS Network, we met Ljiljana Cickovic, the Director of the Women’s Center, who informed us about the efforts they are making to help women victims of violence.

The mission of the Association is to raise awareness of and organize activities to support women’s and children’s human rights in all segments, as well as the economic empowerment of women. It has been established in 2002, to improve the position of women in society and family. The personnel are deeply aware of gender discrimination and have great desire to contribute to positive changes at the local, state, and regional level through their activism.

During the same week, Haris Haveric, the Director of Sumero from Sarajevo shared the concerns and challenges that this organization is facing in aiding disabled persons as their target group.

Sumero is currently the largest organization dealing with the rights of people with intellectual disabilities in BiH. The goals and scope of Sumero’s work are aimed at raising the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities and other forms of disability, promoting and putting in practice the rights guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, increasing awareness for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities and encouraging the adoption of anti-discrimination measures and actions in local communities.

In five cantons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a life-changing program is taking place – “Life in the Local Community“. Through this program, Sumero allows these people to exercise their human rights, such as freedom of movement and choice, and provides them with the opportunity to create new social relationships. Skills needed for independent living – from cooking and shopping to cleaning and acquiring competences for the labor market are learned with devoted team of Sumero. These green gardens you can see on photos are being planted and groomed by Sumero’s proud beneficiaries.

Every day, they spend hours nurturing plants they have developed from the seeds.

ASB, together with LIR CD, continues to implement activities on this project, fully funded by the EU, to protect and fulfil the human rights of vulnerable groups, and fight discrimination in all its forms by supporting CSOs and governmental structures active in the human rights/democracy field.

The project „Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Initiative for Vulnerable Groups“ is implemented by LIR Civil Society and ASB SEE, with the financial support of the European Union in BiH.