Minister Dubravka Bošnjak at the Conference Dedicated to Resolution 2533 – Building a System that Will Permanently Protect Children from All Forms of Violence

Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubravka Bošnjak, attended the conference “Resolution 2533: Building a System that Will Permanently Protect Children from All Forms of Violence”, held in Sarajevo.

The Resolution, initiated by the organization Justice Initiative, represents an international appeal to establish a permanent and systematic response to violence against children through prevention, legal protection, and psychosocial support for victims.

In her address, Minister Bošnjak emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is on its path toward the European Union, and that ensuring the protection of children and equal opportunities for their healthy and safe development is a priority above all others. In this context, she highlighted the opportunities provided through European programmes, particularly the EaSI Programme. The Minister also pointed out that protecting the safety of children without parental care in Bosnia and Herzegovina largely involves improving healthcare services.

“In this regard, I would like to emphasize that, thanks to the initiative of SOS Children's Villages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a new Agreement on the Manner and Procedure for the Use of Healthcare Services Outside the Area of the Cantonal Health Insurance Fund has recently been amended and signed. This agreement enables children without parental care, who are placed in institutions or foster families in other cantons by decision of the competent social welfare centre, to have access to primary healthcare. This represents a concrete and important step forward in ensuring equal access to healthcare services for every child, especially those within the social welfare system,” said Bošnjak.

The conference also featured discussions on child protection by representatives of state and entity institutions, international organizations, academia, and child protection experts, with the goal of strengthening cross-sector cooperation and building a sustainable system to protect children from all forms of violence.

The conference was organized by SOS Children’s Villages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Guido Fluri Foundation, and the Justice Initiative, with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland and the Council of Europe.

By participating in the conference, Minister Bošnjak once again expressed strong support for the work of SOS Children’s Villages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose dedicated efforts, continuous care for children without parental care, support for families at risk, and advocacy for systemic changes deserve deep respect and recognition.

From the conference in Sarajevo, a joint message was sent that we must not close our eyes to child abuse—whether the victims are targeted by sexual predators, subjected to unjustified violence, or abused in public, private, or other institutions that should be safe havens.