Dear Readers,
Welcome to the fifth issue of the Balkan.Perspectives, forumZFD’s magazine on dealing with the past. This current issue is dedicated to the topic of gender and numerous questions on why gender matter in the process of dealing with the past. When it comes to dealing with the past in the Western Balkans, respecting gender usually means discussing only and exclusively about sexual violence against women during war times. As a consequence, women are not seen as agents of change; and they are also not included when trying to overcome the violent past and rebuilding rebuild a peaceful society. The aim of our discussion today is not intended to exclude the conversation on sexual violence against women during the war and the consequences of that violence. We hope to broaden the frame and discuss other pertinent aspects of gender equality in the process of dealing with the past. In our lead article, Marina Blagojević argues for a feminist approach in dealing with the past and establishing positive and healing knowledge to (re)build a society. Similarly, Besnik Leka (in our interview) and Vojislav Arsić who are both dedicated to working with men on gender equality consider the inclusion of young men in processes related to gender equality to be key in creating a stable society. Just as men should not be excluded from working on gender equality, Nela Porobic Isakovic in her article about the Women Organising for Change in Syria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina Initiative argues that women should be included in the peace processes. By transferring knowledge and experiences from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Syria, the organizers hope to create stronger alliances that include women into peace building processes. Since language creates and influences our realities, Bukurie Mustafa reflects on how gender relations and taboos in the intimate spaces are reflected in Albanian language and how such taboos and values have to be considered when thinking about change making. Women in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo have experienced sexual violence during the wars in the 1990s. Two articles in the current issue describe how the survivors are dealing with their past. Nita Gojani and Siobhan Hobbs from UN Women Kosovo describe the current state of gender and dealing with the past and the challenges that remain for the survivors. Selma Korjenić from TRIAL Bosnia shares her experiences in working with survivors of sexual violence and advocating for compensation and recognition. As in the past issues of Balkan. Perspectives, additional aspects could have been added and said. But today I am very happy to share with you our fifth issue as a first step towards a long journey on creating more knowledge about gender and how it connects to meaningfully dealing with the past.
Sincerely,
Maike Dafeld/ Editor in Chief
Balkan.Perspectives is regional magazine published by forumZFD that covers topics related to Dealing with the Past. Aim of the magazine Balkan.Perspectives is to strengthen alternative approaches to Dealing with the Past on the regional level.
The magazine can be downloaded on the following links:
BHSC: http://www.dwp-balkan.org/bh/bpm.php?cat_id=6&text_id=2
ENG: http://www.dwp-balkan.org/en/bpm.php?cat_id=6&text_id=2
ALB: http://www.dwp-balkan.org/ko/bpm.php?cat_id=6&text_id=2