Following four years of implementing the UNIGEM (Universi­ties and Gender Mainstreaming) project across 19 universities in the region a follow-up study has been published (the first study was conducted in 2021 and published in 2022 in local languages, and in 2023 in English). In the light of this research authors Zilka Spahić Šiljak, Jasna Kovačević i Anita Dremel maintain an optimistic outlook, despite the growing influence of anti-gender narratives that disseminate misinformation and promote fear in wider so­ciety regarding gender equality.

Organized by the TPO Foundation as part of the UNIGEM project, three webinars titled “Women in Language and Society: From the Fairer Sex to Victims of Femicide” were held on February 20, 24, and 28. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the most common linguistic practices in both the public and private spheres in our speech area, which subtly or overtly assign women a lower status within the heterosexual binary framework.

The TPO Foundation, in collaboration with the “Narodna biblioteka” (People’s Library) of Sanski Most, held the promotion of the collected volume “Discourses of Gender Justice: Analysis of Legal Frameworks and Judicial Practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia” on February 28, 2025, in Sanski Most.

In coordination with psychology teacher Sandra Muratović, the International Women’s Day was celebrated at the Second Gymnasium in Sarajevo. During a class session for the III3 grade students of the IB program, Leonarda Miličević and Majra Rija Subašić prepared a presentation on the topic of significant women in history. Through this activity, they explored the lives and contributions of women who left a lasting impact in various fields, from science to social and political engagement, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and globally. As in previous years, the International Women’s Day was marked in partnership with the TPO Foundation.

Today, a roundtable discussion was held at the Jewish Community Center in Sarajevo on the topic “Erased from History – From the First Strike in the Carpet Factory in 1905 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to Today.” The participants were Rahela Džidić, Sarina Bakić, Jadranka Miličević, and Elma Softić-Kaunitz. The discussion revolved around the status of female workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1905 to the present. They analyzed the position of workers during the Austro-Hungarian rule, discussing the general dissatisfaction of women workers throughout more than 120 years.

Recalling the words of Gloria Steinem, the feminist icon, journalist, and activist, who said, “We are stronger together. One woman can do a lot, but together we can change the world,” I had the privilege of witnessing how women in Gračanica, a beautiful town in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are changing the world for the better—for themselves and others.

On the eve of International Women’s Day, at the invitation of the Informal Women’s Lobby Group from Gračanica, a book promotion was held on March 7, 2025, for The Price of Impure Blood: Cultural and Economic Aspects of Menstruation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, authored by Jasna Kovačević and Zilka Spahić Šiljak. >> more

The Gender Equality Council of the University of Tuzla, as part of the UNIGEM project and with the support of the TPO Foundation, held a panel discussion for male academic staff on February 21, 2025, at the University of Tuzla, titled “Unconscious Bias – Hidden Risks of Gender Equality in Higher Education.”

As part of the UNIGEM project, the promotion of the book “Decolonial Feminism” by Françoise Vergès was held at the International University in Travnik on February 21, 2025. This important event brought together students, professors, and all those interested in the decolonial approach to feminism and its role in social change.

On Friday, February 28, 2025, at 12:00 PM, a book promotion of “LAURELS FOR A WOMAN’S HEAD: The Gender Dimension of Literary Awards in Bosnia and Herzegovina” by Prof. Dr. Ajla Demiragić and Dr. Adisa Bašić will be held at the University of Sarajevo – Faculty of Philosophy. The authors teach at the Department of Comparative Literature and Information Sciences.

On January 31, 2025, a panel discussion on the topic “Arranged Marriages in Modern Society: Tradition, Freedom of Choice, and Equality” was held at the Grand Amphitheater of the International University of Travnik. The event gathered experts, academics, and students who together explored the important issues surrounding arranged marriages, focusing on their connection to tradition, freedom of choice, and gender equality.

On Friday, January 31, 2025, a promotion of the student anthology “Gender and Art” was held at the Book Corner of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Tuzla. The anthology, published by the TPO Foundation in collaboration with the University of Tuzla, features academic and artistic works prepared by students under the mentorship of selected professors, following the Winter School held at the University of Tuzla in 2024 as part of the UNIGEM project.

Following the highly successful promotion of the book The Price of Impure Blood: Cultural and Economic Aspects of Menstruation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, this very important work, which represents a pioneering step in exploring a topic often marginalized or silenced in Bosnian society, was presented in Zenica on Thursday, February 20. The promotion of the publication, authored by Jasna Kovačević and Zilka Spahić Šiljak, took place at the Faculty of Law at the University of Zenica.

The book The Price of Impure Blood: Cultural and Economic Aspects of Menstruation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, authored by Jasna Kovačević and Zilka Spahić Šiljak and published by the TPO Foundation, was promoted on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, in a full hall at the Marriott Hotel in Sarajevo. The promoters of the book were Prof. Dr. Amila Ždralović, Prof. Dr. Munira Šestić, and Prof. Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak.

As part of the UNIGEM project (Universities and Gender-Responsive Policies), the TPO Foundation, in partnership with the University Gender Resource Center of the University of Sarajevo, the ZATO Foundation, and 19 universities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro, is organizing the international conference Gender and Peace in the Balkans: Tracing the Path Forward. The three-day conference will take place in Sarajevo from February 25 to 27, 2025, in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation (with live streaming).

Every year, the Third Gymnasium in Sarajevo publishes a school newsletter, created by both teachers and students. This year’s edition, titled “Youth in Action for Peacebuilding and Promoting Tolerance,” focuses mainly on activities involving teachers and students from seven Sarajevo high schools, supported by the TPO Foundation within the framework of the UNIGEM project.

The book The Price of Impure Blood: Cultural and Economic Aspects of Menstruation in Bosnia and Herzegovina provides a comprehensive analysis of one of the most significant yet often overlooked issues faced by women and girls worldwide. The research was conducted in 28 cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina through a survey involving over 2,000 women and interviews with 73 women. Through an examination of social norms, economic challenges, and health implications, the book uncovers deeply rooted stigmas, gender inequalities, and structural barriers that hinder women from managing menstruation with dignity. The goal of the book is to raise awareness of this complex issue, create space for discussion, and explore solutions that would enable economically, health-wise, and socially fairer conditions for women and girls. >> Click here to download book.

The evaluation is expected to start on 3 March 2025 for an estimated duration of 20 working days.

After four years of project implementation, TPO Foundation is looking for 10 persons to do monitoring of the undertaken project activities. Five persons are needed for universities in BiH, tree for Croatian partner universities and one person per Serbia and Montenegro, i.e. for UNIGEM partner universities in these two countries.

Within the UNIGEM (Universities and Gender Mainstreaming) project TPO Foundation in partnership with the University Gender Resource Center of the University of Sarajevo, Foundation ZATO and 19 universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro is organising the International Conference “Gender and Peace in the Balkans: Charting the Path Forward?” The three-day conference will be held in Sarajevo from February 25-27, 2025 and it will have a hybrid format allowing for in-person or online participation (live video streaming).