(SARAJEVO, July 19th 2012) Vote for women campaign was presented today in Sarajevo. The campaign will be implemented in the next three months by the Women group in BiH, which consists of 23 organizations from 14 cities in BiH. In order to strengthen the status of women in politics with the particular accent on gender sensibilizations of young politicians, and with an aim to put a special emphasis on the female voting body in the rural areas, these organizations joined their strengths together in the activities that came out of four related projects supported by SDC Switzerland, Kvinna till Kvinna Sweden, Rosa Luxemburg for Southeast Europe, and Open Society Fond for BiH.
Within the campaign as well as in the next 15 months through the four projects the following activities will take place: workshops for young politicians on the topic of gender sensitive politics out of which the best participants will be selected in order to attend the Political Academy in the period between September and December 2012. Together with local partners, these young politicians will also participate in drafting a gender action plan (GAP). A particular importance of this project is creating of a network of women's voting body, education of young male and female politicians, and organization of their direct dialogue with the voters, says Zilka Spahić-Šiljak, program manager of the TPO Foundation.
Introducing the planned activities of Medica Zenica, Sabiha Husić emphasized that the education of 2000 women from the rural areas will take place next to the education of young politicians. These educational workshops are planned to ensure women's active participation in public and political life, particular in the context of the coming elections. In 50 rural areas, we are bringing together in the direct dialogue selected politicians and voters so that the voters' needs are better understood, announced Husić.

For the United Women from Banja Luka, Nada Golubović said that this joint campaign of the organizations is of a vital importance for future cooperation and implementation of activities that have common goals. We are particularly proud of the fact that the main actors of the civil society got together and united in efforts to enhance the status of women in politics, working at the same time through education, advocacy and campaign, said Golubović.
In addition, two-day workshops for young women from the rural areas will be organized with the goal to empower women for development of their own business, while the best business in each city will be financially awarded. The partner organizations will also work on strengthening of their own capacities for part-taking in the debate on the constitutional changes.
The realization of Campaign will be done by the following partner organizations: TPO Fondacija Sarajevo, "Udružene žene" Banja Luka, Helsinški parlament građana Banja Luka, "Medica" Zenica, "Horizonti" Tuzla, Centar za pravnu pomoć ženama Zenica, "Lara" Bijeljina, Fondacija "CURE" Sarajevo, "Budućnost" Modriča, "Most" Višegrad, "Ženski centar Trebinje, "Prava za sve" Sarajevo, "Forum žena" Bratunac, "Duvanjke" Tomislavgrad, "Udruženje građana" Bosansko Grahovo, "Krajiška suza" Sanski Most, "Forma F" Mostar, "Žene ženama" Sarajevo, "Glas žene" Bihać, "Vive žene" Tuzla, "Kult" Sarajevo, Centar za ljudska prava Univerziteta u Sarajevu, "Perpetuum Mobile" Banja Luka.

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