How violence permeates the lives of migrant and refugee women and girls

Photograph: UNFPA archive from the campaign #LetsTalkAboutPeriods

Trafficking and Femicide: ultimate forms of violence against women

Lately, NGO Atina has been increasingly asked about the connection between femicide and trafficking. However, before the issue was raised at a conference organized in order to mark Women Violence Victims’ National Remembrance Day in May 2019, this very connection wasn’t considered as a specific topic in Serbia. 

At the gender-based violence event, State Secretary insulted women, then hit his colleague's gluteus with papers!? This is his justification

Blic News, D. Lukovic December 25, 2018 11:50
 

At the presentation of analysis on gender stereotypes and gender-based violence, Darko Stanic, State Secretary with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and a celebrated former handball player, insulted women saying they are poor drivers, and then hit his colleague Ana Kapetanovic's gluteus with papers.

'Stand up against violence'

The director of the Association for Combating Trafficking of Women Atina Marijana Savic believes there is no gender equality without equality on society, and that there will be no progress "unless we stand up against violence".

"Atina", over 15 years of work, has provided support for thousands of women and girls who were human trafficking victims, she noted.

She payed special attention to migrants as the refugee population.

With a support of Swiss agency for development and cooperation SDC and UNFPA a debate on violence against women and girls among refugee and migrant population has been launched in six cities in Serbia

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, US ambassador in Belgrade, Kyle Scott, organized a reception at the residence, and delivered awards to those who most contributed to combating gender-based violence. In addition to Marijana Savic, director of NGO Atina, the awards were also received by Zorana Mihajlovic, MP and Chairperson of the Coordination Body for Gender Equality, Slobodanka Boba Macanovic from NGO Autonomous Women's Center, Mitar Djuraskovic from the Ministry of Interior, and Dragoslava Barzut from NGO Da se zna.

Human trafficking, violence against women and position of women refugees are not subjects easy to talk about or advocate for as they raise many uncomfortable issues about societal inequalities and injustice. NGO Atina has obtained an unexpected ally in advocating for resolution of these problems in our society, but globally as well. We had opportunity to meet Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall who actively advocates for the rights of women who have survived violence since 2009, when she visited the center for women rape victims and learned about their lives.