Association Zena B&H
Psychosocial activities
Psychosocial activities represent a series of project developed from our beneficiaries' need as well as our own. Since its foundation, ZENA BiH implements psychosocial projects, which have changed with time, but have never stopped with its activities. The beneficiaries are women and children-victims of violence and victims of trafficking in human beings, the elderly, and every person who needs an information or assistance and support.Project: "For better and more joyful life of children - a life without violence" - Little telephone Little telephone - SOS telephone line for children has developed within the project "For better and more joyful life of children - life without violence". This project started in September 2006. The goals of the project are to influence the children in an early age of their life so that they realize that violence is unaccepted way of behaviour and prevention of violence, which in any way involves children. The Little phone number is 1302 and it is unique for entire Bosnia and Herzegovina territory (it is available to all three telephone companies). A team of experts comprised of psychologist, sociologist, and pedagogue, volunteers at Little telephone. They have increased their great knowledge in this subject by education received from an expert team from Croatian Brave telephone - a telephone line with experience in work with abused and neglected children. CNF CEE (Co-operating Netherlands Foundations for Central and Eastern Europe) financially supports this project.
Advocacy and awareness raising activities
One of our commitments is our work on advocacy in our local community but on national and international level as well. As you will read, some advocacy activities we implemented through our projects, but a number of advocacy activities was implemented in cooperation with other organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina. we will cite a few of them such as raising public awareness regarding the problem of violence in general, particularly domestic violence, violence against children, violence against partner and trafficking in human beings and advocacy for regulation of rights in the field of social protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Training activities
Since the beginning of implementation of educative projects, ZENA BiH has used an interactive workshop method, which demands active participation of the attendees throughout the entire workshop When working with younger children, we are using a method called "Studying while playing". When conducting workshops with adults (men)we were using the method of discussion, where the attendees provide necessary information about certain topic. This kind of a workshop deals with attitudes and opinions, and their changing. When working with youth and adults, the part that is the most interesting to them are real life examples i.e. examples from our practice. Of course, we do not reveal the entire case, we summarize the most important part of the case, and the part we believe will have the biggest effect on them.Team of experienced trainers conduct all our trainings. When necessary, this team also includes a lawyer, pedagogue, social worker, and other associate. During 2006, we implemented the project: Conversations about trafficking in human beings with men in the City of Mostar. Its implementation started in September 2005. The overall goal is to raise awareness of the male population in the City of Mostar regarding the problem of human beings trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around 80 men from the City of Mostar, common citizens - our relatives, brothers, husbands, and friends attended the workshops. The topics elaborated during the workshops were sex and gender - the stereotypes and prejudices, sexuality, gender militancy, men and power and trafficking in human beings. This was the very first project of this kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Star Network of World Learning - BATCOM supported this project. Activities aiming at enhancing the cooperation with other NGOs and institutions In our work,we rely on institutions and organizations from Mostar and the region. In order to implement some activities, we need the support of these institutions and organizations. Precisely these partnerships enable us to work in wider area and to reach as many citizens as possible. As you can read below, we are referring to different actions and projects, which primary goals are to enhance the cooperation on both local, national and international level. We are the initiators and active members of Mostar Platform - a body, which gathers NGO sector, and local government, and business sector in the City of Mostar. Project: You have a responsibility toward the people you live with... We all share that responsibility! We are again writing about this project since it is obvious that its goal is to provide a multidisciplinary solution to problem of violence in cooperation with following institutions Herzegovina Neretva Canton Ministry of health, labour and social care, Ministry of interior, cantonal Prosecutor's office, Municipal court, and Magistrates' court, Herzegovina Neretva Canton Social Welfare Centres and women's and gender sensitive NGOs from Herzegovina Neretva Canton. Overall project's goal: Advocacy for the women's human rights and society, more humane and sensitive to problem of violence as one of the most radical forms of human rights violation. Specific objectives: By joint effort with other stakeholders, Association "ZENA BiH" will contribute to provision of comprehensive and adequate support to victims of violence in HN Canton. European Union financially supports implementation of this project