CHILDREN born as a result of the war crime of rape in Bosnia and Herzegovina received the status of civilian victims of war almost 30 years after the end of the violence in that country, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced today.
BiH does not have official data on how many children were born after rape. Estimates by the association “Forgotten Children of War” say that there are between 3,000 and 5,000 such children, today adults. With the amendments to the Law on Civilian Victims of War of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, children born after rape in the war received the status of civilian victims of war for the first time.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Federation of BiH claims that BiH is the first country in the world to guarantee the rights of children born after rape during the war. With these changes, war victims are given priority in the use of health services, more favorable conditions for education up to the age of 35, priority employment and housing are mandated.
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Minister: This move helps in dealing with the past
“By applying that law, which was passed after almost thirty years of waiting, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy firmly stands by the victims and ensures that their rights are protected,” stated the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The responsible minister assessed that this is a move that also helps in dealing with the past and building a society that does not tolerate violence and respects human rights. From this ministry, they called on all women who were raped in the war, as well as children born in such a way, to register in order to exercise their rights established by law and to preserve the truth about this crime.
In numerous court cases before the Hague Tribunal and domestic courts, cases of rape as a war crime and the birth of children after that violent act were determined.
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