Care About Adolescent Girls

BHIDAPA – European Accredited Psychotherapeutic Training Institute in cooperation with UNICEF and with the consent of relevant ministries continues with the implementation of specific virtual training sessions aimed at developing and strengthening the existing Interdisciplinary Network of Experts “Here & Now”. Following the successful completion of three cycles of education “Interdisciplinary Network of Experts ‘Here & Now’”, we continue with the development and strengthening of the established network of experts with the aim of raising awareness about violence, risks and interventions through theoretical, experiential, supervisory modules and focus groups.

About the Project

A new specialized training under the name Interdisciplinary Network of Experts “Here & Now”: Care About Adolescent Girls, is focused on raising awareness about violence, risks, preventive psychosocial activities and interventions aimed at adolescent girls who have survived abuse, with special emphasis on sexual abuse.

The project “Care About Adolescent Girls” is implemented as a response to the global report of the World Health Organization and UNICEF on exposure to and prevention of violence against children, with special emphasis on girls.

The global report of the World Health Organization (1) and UNICEF (2) on exposure to and prevention of violence against children indicates that:

Although there has been some progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls in recent decades, gender inequalities are still pronounced;
The most vulnerable are girls who come from minority groups, girls who live in poverty and rural areas, girls with disabilities, refugee girls and migrants — they are often left behind, and their rights are unfulfilled;
BiH has one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the region;
About 19% of children reported experiencing sexual violence during their lifetime, and 14% during the previous 12 months.
Child marriage remains a challenge that affects girls and women more than boys and men;
The Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children estimates that one billion children – or one in two children in the world – suffer some form of violence every year.
Increasing research confirms the harmful consequences of violence that destroys the capabilities of future generations;
Globally, mental disorders are an important and often neglected cause of suffering that disrupts the health, education, protection and well-being of adolescents, as well as their ability to reach their full potential.

Furthermore, reports indicate that although progress has been made in Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of gender equality and women’s empowerment, pronounced gender inequalities still exist. The most vulnerable are girls who come from minority groups, live in poverty, rural areas, have disabilities or are refugees and migrants. Violence against children, including sexual violence, remains a serious problem in the country.

Project Objectives

Improve awareness about violence against adolescent girls.
Identify risks associated with violence against adolescent girls.
Identify protective factors.
Improve interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and intersectoral cooperation.
Provide training and supervision to professionals from the health, social and educational sectors in order to further improve access and support adolescent girls who have experienced violence.
Strengthen the connectivity of the established Interdisciplinary Network of Experts “Here & Now”. (Map of “Interdisciplinary Network of Experts”)
Support the creation of space for a “girl-friendly” environment for adolescent girls.

Analogously, this project aims to support the removal of barriers in transforming services for a better future for all adolescent girls, through empowering professionals within the health, social and educational sectors in supporting adolescent girls who have survived violence, while ensuring a “girl-friendly” environment.

Project Activities

The project includes specialized training under the name “Interdisciplinary Network of Experts ‘Here & Now’: Care About Adolescent Girls”. The training consists of six cycles, each with five modules. This program covers the area of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brčko District.

The modules cover contemporary knowledge and skills for the prevention of various forms of violence against adolescent girls, including physical, emotional, gender-based and sexual violence, both online and in the physical world.

Specialized Course

The first module of the first training cycle was held on March 10, 2023, with the topic “Forms of violence (online and offline): special focus on adolescent girls.” The program offers the possibility of supervision and support for personal growth and development of participants through group processes.

Trainers and Experts

The main trainer – training leader is a European accredited trainer: Prof. Dr. Gordana Buljan Flander, clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and court expert for abused and neglected children;

the co-leader is graduate psychologist Sabina Zijadić-Husić, psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor.

Expert-supervisors include Prim. Dr. Ranka Kalinić, child psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and Prof. Dr. Goran Arbanas, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, supervisor and court expert.

Project Manager: Dr. Mirela Badurina, ECIP psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor

Project Coordinators: Adi Grebović, graduate ecc, and project assistant Selma Karasoftić.

Conclusion: The BHIDAPA project in cooperation with UNICEF and with the consent of relevant ministries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, aims to improve awareness about violence against adolescent girls. This initiative includes training and supervision of professionals and opening opportunities for “girl-friendly” environments in order to improve support for adolescent girls who have experienced violence. Such efforts are expected to contribute to reducing violence and a better future for all adolescent girls.

Reference

At the opening ceremony of the first cycle of education-training, welcoming words and greetings to participants were delivered by the representative from the child protection department at UNICEF BiH Sandra Kukić and project manager Dr. Mirela Badurina.

We thank our dear colleagues for the trust and motivation shown during the modules.