Book “Victimology in theory and practice in a post-conflict society: Perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, by Dr. Jasminka Džumhur promoted

Promotion of the book “Victimology in Theory and Practice in Post-Conflict Society: Perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina” by Dr. Jasminka Džumhur was held on 16 June 2021 in the University of Sarajevo Ceremonial Hall.

The book presents the author's 28 years of experience in working with victims, which began in 1992 through assistance and support to victims of sexual abuse within the activities of the women's NGO “Medica” Zenica, and later, “Women's Rights Center” Zenica.

“This book is primarily intended for victims. I have been wearing the shoes of victims since 1992, working with victims of sexual abuse, and I continued as the first chairwoman of the Institute for Missing Persons of BiH to share the fate of the families of the missing, and later the detainees. That realization of what the victims went through during the war in BiH, and at the same time working with the victims of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking, I realized that the environment in which we live is not committed to the victim, explained Dr. Džumhur also expressed hope that everything that has been written will be a guide for harmonization in Bosnia and Herzegovina. legislation and procedures with binding standards, and that the position of victims will be improved.

The focus was also on the issue of the identity of the victims, and others. Jasminka Džumhur concludes: “The victims did not choose that identity, they got it through the actions of responsible individuals, groups, formations. Avoiding the recognition of victims ’identities is avoiding accepting responsibility. There is always a denial of a crime, and sanctioning a denial is a way to respond to that.

At the promotion, the book was presented by: Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, University of Sarajevo Rector, Academician Mirko Pejanović, reviewer, Prof. Dr Nedžad Korajlić, director of the Center for Human Rights UNSA and reviewer, Dragan Marković, Magistrate (publisher), Meliha Sendić, Center for Women's Rights (publisher), Murat Tahirović, president of the Association of Detainees of BiH, and Doz. Dr. Jasminka Džumhur, author.

University of Sarajevo Rector, Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj in his address pointed out that the name of Jasminka Džumhur, ombudswoman for human rights and long-term activist in the broad field of human rights, is an undoubted guarantee of the quality of the publication entitled “Victimology in Theory and Practice in Post-Conflict Society: Bosnia and Herzegovina's Perspective.”

“As University of Sarajevo Rector, I am extremely proud of the fact that we can contribute to the promotion of this extremely important matter that our BiH society desperately needs, because we witness almost daily phenomena, collective and individual, in most cases painful and difficult. hatred and calls for violence, to the tragic suicides of traumatized fellow citizens. Unfortunately, all this is, among other things, a consequence of insufficient knowledge of the theory and practice of victimology, about which Dr. Džumhur writes calls for who knows how many times, scientifically based and argued, that our socio-political, but also economic-social attitude towards the victims will change fundamentally, “Rector Škrijelj emphasizes and adds:” As the University of Sarajevo, we must be at the forefront of these changes, we must be part of a process that will change Bosnia and Herzegovina on the basis of the values ​​and principles embedded in the foundations of the idea of ​​human rights, their promotion and protection. “

The promotion of the book “Victimology in Theory and Practice in Post-Conflict Society: Perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, authored by Jasminka Džumhur, was organized by the publishers: University Press Sarajevo and Women's Center Zenica, in cooperation with the Center for Human Rights, University of Sarajevo.

From reviews:

“The author of the book embarked on an extremely demanding project: to discuss victimology in theory and practice in post-conflict societies such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the causal consequences of this social phenomenon, but also social action and reaction that has its very clearly profiled subjects. are: the legislative executive and especially the judiciary, which are called, obligatory, but also situationally forced to react to all phenomena of victimization…

The book is structured so that it is easy to follow the author's thought flow, which leads to concluding remarks that will greatly help all those who deal with the victim in their work, but also students who will be able to more easily master the material in victimology and criminal law. , criminology, criminology and security studies ... “

Prof. Dr. Nedžad Korajlić

“Victims of war crimes in most cases feel neglected, neglected or even abused during court proceedings. This raises the question of whether judicial justice can lead to humane/social justice. Further reform of criminal procedure legislation, according to the author, should necessarily lead to the establishment of a legal system in the protection of victims' rights will be at the level of international standards. There is a need for a systemic solution to the protection and care of the victim from all levels of government in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through his theoretical and empirical research on the position and treatment of victims in international and regional human rights instruments, as well as the position of victims in the legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, dr. Jasminka Džumhur came to scientifically relevant findings. Based on these findings, the author initiated several proposals leading to the reform of criminal law in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the protection of victims' rights according to international standards, especially in accordance with the provisions of the European Union Victims Directive of 2012 ... “

Academician Mirko Pejanović

“Years of work as a victim protection activist, and recently as an ombudswoman, the author has included all the critical perspectives on victims, victimization and victimology as a scientific discipline, professional and activist challenges. The book also reflects the author’s ability to convey important messages to the reader. Victims deserve more attention because legal responses to crime prevail, and prosecutors often forget victims and use them instrumentally to prove guilt for perpetrators. In my opinion, this book with a legal-victimological review will undoubtedly serve as a useful and relevant reference text for students of criminology, victimology, law, criminal justice, social work and psychology. However, its greatest strength lies in accessibility, in terms of chapter organization, easy readability, a large number of practitioners working in the field of empowerment and victim support services, both in government and in the non-governmental sector .... “

Prof. dr. Gorazd Meško

About the author:

Jasminka Džumhur is the Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Doctor of Laws, legal expert with a bar exam and work experience of over 30 years in the field of justice, human rights and international relations. From 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2019, she was a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Migrant Workers and Their Families, and also served as the Vice President of this Committee. In the period 2010-2015. In 1980, she served as a member of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, as the first woman elected to this body, which was established in 1980. In the period 2014-2015. She was the Vice President of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. During her tenure, she was in missions in East Timor, Mexico, Chile, Spain, and in the Balkan countries. In order to ensure the practical implementation of the UN Declaration on Enforced Disappearances, it participated in the drafting of the General Comment on Enforced Disappearances and Women.

Prior to her appointment as Human Rights Ombudsman, in her first term in 2008, she served for 12 years as a judge and president of the Zenica Municipal Misdemeanor Court, and for more than six years at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In March 2006, until the closure of the UN OHCHR Office in BiH, in June 2007 she was the Acting Head of the OHCHR Office in BiH. In the period 2007-2008. In the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), she was the Coordinator of the Regional Justice and Civil Society Program of the Western Balkans.

You can order the book by e-mail: unipress@bih.net.ba or by phone 00 387 33 550-675 or by fax: 00 387 33 550-677.