Indira Bajramović is the director of the Association of Roma people “Better Future” from the city Tuzla, who advocates for the better position of Roma children, women and little girls as well as other vulnerable categories of society. Association of Roma women “Better Future” is one of the members of the Initiative “Women Citizens for Constitutional Reform”. We discussed with Indira Bajramović on the constitutional reforms and recommendations for improvement of the position of women and girls in BH society with the special emphasize on the national and other minority groups.
How do you see political situation in BiH in relation to women and girls, what is their position and is there any improvement or aggravation?
“I think that women in BiH are insufficiently represented in politics and there are none of them in the decision making positions. Women are faced with mobbing and they are still working the same amount of time as men but are underpaid. In addition, I believe that women are discriminated in BiH in various ways and suffer torture not only by their families but also by employers and society. When it comes to women the laws are not enough respected including convention and all other documents that protect women. They are often discouraged to achieve their professional goals by the hand of men.
When it comes to girls I think they have bad role models (coming from different realities) on TV and are often not protected from the boys in school and on the street. Some of them get married very early (or are more often in civil partnership) under pressure of parents, do not finish school which at the end reflects in their later life because they face with violence, insulting and they are especially not concurrent at the labor market and are not economically independent.
Thanks to the work of NGOs we can say that there is some improvement but we are not certainly satisfied because it can be better. Institutions should work on protection of women, girls and little girls and to use available mechanisms. Law on Gender Equality of BiH, Election Law and all other documents and conventions in relation to little girls (children) should be implemented. I believe that international organizations and NGOs in cooperation with institutions can contribute for this position of women and girls to be changed. There are some changes, but we all have a lot to do to achieve for the women to be equal and equally participate in all spheres of our society”.
What do you think on constitutional reforms in BiH having in mind national minorities and/or other minorities? Can you provide us with short review on how this reflects on women and especially Roma women?
“I think that the Constitution of BiH is discriminatory in relation to not only national minorities but also to others who do not affiliate as one of the constituent peoples in BiH. In the Constitution of BiH it states the category Others – who and what are the Others? In BiH lives 17 confirmed national minorities whereas the Roma national minority is the largest so I do not understand why Constitution mentions only constituent peoples? Why are they the only who are constituent and who decided that they solely be constituent? I think that Constitution of BiH as the most important document of a state in this case our BiH is not in favor of women because we all know that the laws at the lower levels should be in accordance with the Constitution. The additional problem are entities and cantons that once again have their Constitutions and laws which are by the way different. So if we come to the local level we have the problem of the harmonization of the different documents with implementation of the basic human rights and I have already mentioned that laws are not exactly implemented in the field”.
How does it look like every-day fight for the better position of women in our society?
“I am fully engaged when it comes to my job and I am rarely at home. I often travel but I was the one who decided to do this job and to give my contribution to every activity if possible in order for the problem and unequal position of women and girls, especially Roma women and other vulnerable categories to be visible. I give my efforts in writing different reports, documents regarding women and girls but also in other fields. I travel outside BiH to conferences and there I speak on the position of women and girls in BiH, on how much they use mechanisms for protection of human rights, mechanisms against discrimination and domestic violence. We exchange experiences with other countries in neighbor and wider because I believe that our voice has to be heard and we have to impose with our requests if we want changes. In addition, I talk a lot, do the research and sometimes I have the feeling that I need more time during one day for everything that needs to be done. When I am at home I tried to spend quality time with my family”.
Can you mention minimum three items that endanger your constitutional rights that should be guaranteed?
„If I can choose, that I should have the chance to elect and be elected as national minority and our Constitution of BiH does not allow the same. The Constitution states that it guarantees the rights to all citizens but it is not so because at every turn the rights are violated to some citizen. I think that our Constitution of BiH should be civil, because at the moment it is not, and that all citizens should be protected by this highest legislative document.
