Xiaoqing Yu
I feel deeply disturbed by the recent media headlines coming from the Western Balkans, which reveal alarming statistics on the spread of domestic violence and violence against women. Through this article, I would like to join the millions of people around the world who are participating in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, defending this vital issue.
Gender-based violence is a pervasive problem that transcends borders, affecting globally, every region. On average, a woman dies due to gender-based violence every 10 minutes in the world and the trend has worsened in recent years. Although the Western Balkans does not exceed global averages, it still faces significant challenges. The situation highlights the urgent need for comprehensive improvements, as gender-based violence is not only a human rights issue, but a major impediment to development.
In the Western Balkans, gender-based violence hinders education, employment and leadership opportunities. According to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in Bosnia and Herzegovina, almost half of women have experienced abuse, while a shocking 84 percent of these cases go unreported. To put that into context, the country's three active SOS lines have received five thousand calls in the first nine months of this year alone – about one call every 20 minutes.
In Kosovo, studies showed that almost a third of adult women have experienced sexual harassment, and almost half of them consider domestic violence as a private matter that should be resolved within the family. In Albania, two thirds of women and girls have experienced violence in dating, while one third have faced sexual harassment. Tragically, femicide is widespread in the Western Balkans, where one in two women killed is the victim of her husband or partner.
It is encouraging to see the growing recognition and discussion of gender-based violence. In March 2023, civil society organizations in the countries of the Western Balkans came together to take action, starting with court-based monitoring of cases of femicide and gender-based violence. Serbia, Albania and Montenegro launched an interactive map documenting femicides since 2020, which raises awareness and prompts substantive discussion.
Beyond civil society efforts, political changes are essential to advance gender equality and combat gender-based violence in the region.
First, it is urgent to strengthen prevention efforts. Evidence suggests that initiatives such as parenting programs – designed to promote children's social and emotional development – and targeted public awareness campaigns can significantly empower women and challenge harmful gender norms. These initiatives help improve gender relations, address entrenched inequalities, and equip families with conflict resolution and nonviolent communication skills.
Second, an effective response to gender-based violence must focus on the needs of survivors and integrate across key sectors. The health sector must provide safe environments for survivors to receive medical care and psychological support. The education sector can facilitate early interventions through kindergarten and school-based programs that address violence as well as implement changes in curricula to challenge harmful gender norms. Infrastructure improvements, such as safer public transport, can also reduce risks and increase mobility for women and girls.
Third, strengthening information management systems through digitization can improve coordination between service providers, track cases to prevent recurrence, and use data analysis to inform prevention policies and strategies.
At the World Bank, we are committed to accelerating gender equality by addressing the structural barriers that perpetuate gender-based violence. We promote inclusive economic opportunity and foster human capital development to ensure sustainable growth and reduce poverty. In the Western Balkans, we actively support efforts to combat gender-based violence – from training health personnel in Kosovo to promoting property registration for women in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Our goal is to create an environment where women and girls can feel empowered to contribute to inclusive societies.
(The author is the director of the World Bank for the Western Balkans)
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