As we have done in the past, we are providing you with the activity report regarding Women in Black activities in this reporting period, from September to December 2009. Detailed information about Women in Black activities can be found on the web site www.zeneucrnom.org, or by contacting us, at our email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We would like to thank you in advance, in solidarity.
Street actions: From September 2009 to December 2009. Women in Black organized nine (9) street actions (protests, performances and marches) that can be classified in the following manner:
Commemorations of important dates when war crimes were committed in our name: October 18th - Lovas (Croatia); October 22nd - Sjeverin (Serbia); November 19th - Vukovar (Croatia)
Campaigns for the proclamation of July 11th as the ‘Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide ’ - organized on September 11th, October 11th, November 11th and December 11th in Belgrade.
Solidarity actions against impunity: October 5th, the commemoration for two soldiers, members of The Army of Republic of Serbia, killed in the army base in Topcider/Belgrade, Serbia.
Antifascist March - Antifascism is my choice: ‘In solidarity against fascism’ street march, organized on November 9th, on the International day against fascism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia. In front of the City Assembly in Belgrade, Women in Black and ‘Labris’ activists, and artists from art group ‘Škart’, presented a performance (since the artists were not allowed to perform in front of the National Assembly building). After the performance, the participants went to Terazije Square, where, in front of the memorial, they paid their respect to the antifascists hanged during WWII; the tribute was followed by the walk through central city streets to the Academic Square, in front of the Faculty of Philosophy, where the concert of Roma music band Muha marked the end of the march. The action had 500 participants.
During the report period, Women in Black participated in numerous activities organized by other civil society organizations, which share our goals and values, such as:
• October 2nd – 'Civil response to violence' organized on the International Day of Non-Violence
• November 25th – 16 days of activism against the violence against women
• December 10th – International Human Rights Day
Facing the past/transitional justice – feminist approach: Facing the past is one of Women in Black most important activities. It includes street actions, workshops, lecturing, and presenting of diverse models of transitional justice from a feminist approach, in cooperation with similar organizations and within similar actions (such as campaign and consulting meetings).
Visiting the places where war crimes were committed in our name: street actions in the form of commemoration, with the purpose of giving importance to those dates when crimes were committed in our name:
October 18th, Lovas, Croatia: Women in Black activists from Serbia, eight of us, took part in the commemoration dedicated to 18th anniversary of the killing of 70 Croatian civilians.
October 22nd, Sjeverin, Serbia: This commemoration was dedicated to the 17th anniversary of the abduction of 16 Bosniaks from the village Sjeverin, near Priboj, in Serbia. Civilians were abducted by members of Bosnian Serb Army and members of a military formation called 'Revengers'. Activists from Serbian organizations Women in Black, Humanitarian Law Center and Youth Initiative for Human Rights were present at the commemoration.
November 19th, Vukovar, Croatia: The commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the crime in Vukovar was organized in front of the city hospital, from where, in November 1991, JNA soldiers and the members of paramilitary units took 264 wounded, who were later killed in Ovcara. Along with the families of the victims and the survivors of these crimes, Women in Black activists visited the Ovcara complex, the Croatian Memorial Documentation Center, the banks of the river Danube and villages Dalj and the community of Borovo. More than 20 activists from Belgrade, Pančevo, Šabac, Dimitrovgrad, Leskovac, Kruševac and Velika Plana attended the commemoration.
Campaign – July 11th – ‘Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide – Proclaim it! The campaign started in February 2009, when the European Parliament accepted the Resolution that proclaimed July 11th the Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide. Women in Black, along with other Serbian civil society organizations (Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, The Center for Advanced Legal Studies, Humanitarian Law Center and Youth Initiative for Human Rights) started with the campaign that is targeting government officials, in order to go observe the European practice and proclaim July 11th as the ‘Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide’ in Serbia too.
During this report period, we organized four protests, on September 11th, October 11th, November 11th and December 11th. On the 11th day of every month, we gather in front of the Presidency of Serbia and read in public the letter addressed at the Serbian president Boris Tadic, regarding the request to proclaim July 11th the ‘Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide’. It is important to mention that each of these actions had at least 100 participants. On October 11th, along with 50 activists from Serbia, we had 20 international participants, peace activists from Israel and Palestine.
We have been addressing the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Serbia on monthly bases, requesting that the President of Serbia should meet with the group that started this action, which gathers more than 100 civil society organizations in Serbia. Unfortunately, the government officials turned a deaf ear to civil society demands, which is why the protesters decided to continue with the campaign until their request has been met. Public pressure targets government officials, who have the power to proclaim July 11th as the ‘Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide’, but also general public in Serbia that still lives in denial, trying to inspire compassion, solidarity and the respect for the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica.
Feminist solidarity against the impunity for war crimes: Feminist solidarity actions, mutual support, exchange and cooperation in the region, in order to establish just and sustainable peace. In this report period, Women in Black organized the following:
October 8th – 15th: Visit from Mother Mejra Dautović, survivor of the massacre in Prijedor, one of the most significant activists in the region and the author of several books with eye witness testimonies, such as ‘Mother Mejra Offers and Seeks the Truth’ and ‘The Bloody Truth of Prijedor’. Her testimony is also part of a theatrical performance by Dah Theatre. Mother Mejra took part in all Women in Black activities organized in this report period, such as the meeting with Middle East peace activists, panel discussion on Transitional Justice, protest held on October 11th in Belgrade, apropos the Day to Remember the Genocide in Srebrenica and the promotion of newest Women in Black book ‘Women’s Side of War’, held in Pristine, Kosovo. Along with Žanka Stojanović, a mother whose son was murdered during the 1999 Nato bombing, she met with women’s activists working in Serbian enclaves in Kosovo. Similar meetings are very significant for strengthening the solidarity between victims of different nationalities and increasing mutual efforts and cooperation in building a just and sustainable peace in the region.
October 13th, Belgrade: Visit of the women from Bosnia and Herzegovina, survivors of the genocide in Srebrenica in 1995.
October 18th, Lovas (Croatia): Meeting with the families of the victims and the survivors of the crime in Lovas.
October 23rd, Podgorica, Montenegro: The promotion of the book ‘The Gory Truth of Prijedor’ written by Mother Mejra Dautović, organized by local organization Anima (Center for Women and Peace Studies) and Women in Black from Belgrade.
November 19th, Borovo selo, Vukovar (Croatia): Meeting with the citizens of Vukovar, survivors of the crimes committed in that town in November 1991.
December 15th – 17th, Bihać (Bosnia and Herzegovina): Women in Black activists and Dah Theatre actors visited Mother Mejra Dautović and other citizens of Bihać. This visit was a chance for numerous activities that will be mentioned later in this report.
December 27th, Milići, Srebrenica, Potočari (Bosnia and Herzegovina): Seven Women in Black activists from Serbia took part in the support and solidarity visit to the survivors of the genocide in Srebrenica.
Punishment of crime – the way to just peace: Women in Black activists have been attending war crime trials held before the War Crime Trials Chamber of the Belgrade District Court.
Trial for war crimes committed in Zvornik: During the Serb`s agression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, in May and June of 1992, in the territory of the Zvornik municipallity, acussed Grujić Branko from Mali Zvornik, President of Zvornik “temporary government”, President of war headquarter and War secretariat) and Branko Popović (known as well under the name Marko Pavlović) from Sombor (the commander of Territorial Deffence and a member of headquarters) and others, who, according to indictment of the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor, tortured aproximately 700 Muslim civilians - women, children and men from the villages Klis, Djulići, Grbavci, Kučić Kule, Grebe and Šetići. Men were taken away at Bjeli Potok and later killed in Gerina klanica place. Trial began on November 10th, 2008. In the reporting period, Women in Black activists attended the summons held on: September – 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th; October, 12th – 15th; November – 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th; and December- 14th, 15th and 16th.
Trial for war crimes committed in Lovas: Members of the Yugoslav National Army and the paramilitary formation `Dušan The Great`, killed 70 Croatian civilians in October 1991. From the very beggining of the trial, in April 2008, Women in Black activists monitored the trial. During the report period, the summons were held on the following dates : September – 23rd, 24th, 25th, 28th and 29th; October – 12th, 13th, 14th. and 15th ; November – 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th.
During the report period, Miloš Urošević, and occasionally other Women in Black activists, attended 30 summons held before the War Crime Trials Chamber of the Belgrade District Court. The trial reports that he writes are being sent to Women in Black network and to related international networks.
Artistic engagement in facing the past/transitional justice: During the report period, Women in Black continued with the work and cooperation with art associations and professional theaters, and with artists engaged in the artistic expression of women’s resistance to war, war crimes, repression and human rights abuses.
November 9, Antifascism is my choice, Belgrade – Street performance and protest march, organized in cooperation with ‘Škart’ artists. The protesters demanded the extradition of indicted war criminals and the sanctions against the clero-fascist and clero-nationalist organizations. Also, they stressed the importance of giving credits to our Second World War antifascist heritage.
December 9th, Not in our name, Belgrade: The release of the documentary that deals with the feminist approach to justice, through Women in Black experience. Film lasts 43 minutes and is directed by Zlatko Paković. Approximately 100 viewers were present at the film presentation, at the Center for Cultural Decontamination (CFCD) in Belgrade.
December 16th, Crossing the line, Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Theatar play performed by Dah Theater. The piece is based on Women in Black book Women’s Side of War, published in 2007 in Serbian, in 2008 in Albanian and in 2009 in English language. The performance is directed by Dijana Milošević and features actresses Sanja Krsmanović-Tasić, Ivana Milenović and Maja Mitić. Play had an audience of more than 100 Bihać citizens.
December 25th, Not in our name, Leskovac: Second projection of the documentary film that deals with the feminist approach to justice, and combines theory with the experience of Women in Black activism. Film is aired at the Cultural Center in Leskovac. The projection was organized by ‘Women for Peace’ group, along with Women in Black from Belgrade. The film projection is followed by the discussion on facing the past between 48 activists present at the event. Film lasts for 43 minutes and the director is Zlatko Paković.
Feminist approach to transitional justice: Lectures, workshops, public platforms, book and film releases, organized by Women in Black and other related feminist organizations.
October 3rd Confronting the past - transitional justice – a feminist approach, Kotor, Montenegro: Staša Zajović held a day-long lecture, organized by Anima activists, for ten female students from several towns in Montenegro.
October 8th Work meeting on transitional justice, Belgrade: Interactive lecture of the genesis of war in former Yugoslavia, about feminist peace activism and initiatives, and about the contribution of Women in Black activists to transitional justice in former Yugoslavia. Lecturers were Staša Zajović from Belgrade and Rada Borić from Zagreb. This discussion was organized at Women in Black premises, with approximately thirty participants, activists, our guests from Israel and Palestine peace activists from the Middle East, Women in Black activists and the representatives of the Swedish foundation Kvinna till Kvinna. After the discussion, the participants attended the promotion of Women in Black activist Jasmina Tešanović’s book ‘Scorpions – anatomy of crime’, held at CFCD, based on the transcripts of the trial to the members of ‘Scorpions’ paramilitary unit, for the killing of six Bosniaks during the genocide in Srebrenica. The trial itself, held from December 2005 to April 2007 was monitored by Women in Black activist.
October 9th, The importance of the gender dimension of justice, Belgrade: Panel discussion, organized by Women in Black activists at CFCD, was dedicated to women’s experience in transitional justice and justice from the feminist perspective. Panelists were Mother Mejra Dautović, Bihać (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Rada Borić (Centre for Women’s Studies,Zagreb/Croatia), Memnuna Nuna Zvizdić (Women to Women from Sarajevo,BiH), Ljupka Kovačević (Anima, Kotor, Montenegro), Lepa Mlađenović (Autonomous Women Center, Belgrade) and Nevena Kostić (Women for Peace, Leskovac), with Staša Zajović as a moderator.
October 14th , Crime and feminist resistance, Belgrade: The discussion between 11 activists, held at Women in Black premises, organized by Marija Opsenica, about the feminist responsibility, based on the book ‘The Reader’, written by German author Bernhard Schlink, and the film based on that book.
October 23rd, The importance of gender perspective of justice, Podgorica, Montenegro: Panel discussion with Staša Zajović, Memnuna Nuna Zvizdić, Biljana Kašić (Women Studies, Zagreb) and Ervina Dabižanović from Kotor as panelists.
October 12, Book promotion ‘Women side of war’, Pristine, Kosovo: Women in Black promoted the Albanian translation of this book. The promotion was organized by Women in Black, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and the foundation Kvinna till Kvinna. At the promotion were present mothers Mejra Dautović, Bihać (BiH) and Žanka Stojanović, Belgrade (Serbia), who spoke of the importance of fighting against impunity, the denial and glorification of war crimes. They spoke about the significance of accountability and the punishment of all the perpetrators. The discussion was moderated by Zorica Trifunović, and attended by approximately 100 activists from Serbia (WIB) and Kosovo (KWN), as well as our guests from Israel and Palestine.
December 2nd, ‘Dubrovnik: we remember’, Belgrade: On the 18th anniversary of the crime against the civilians in Dubrovnik, Women in Black organized the projection of antiwar documentary film ‘War for Peace’ directed by Koča Pavlović from Podgorica. The film is an authentic testimony of the devastation of ancient city of Dubrovnik by JNA soldiers, Serbian and Montenegrin paramilitary units, on war-mongering propaganda present at the official reporting in Serbia and Montenegro, but also about the civil resistance to this crime in Montenegro. Projection was followed by the discussion between 48 participants of the event. Panelists were Koča Pavlović, Vesna Pešić, antiwar activists and present member of National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and Sabina Talović, activist from organisation 'Bonafida' from Pljevlje, Montenegro. Moderator was Miloš Urošević, Women in Black activist. The event was organized in the building of the Municipality of Stari Grad, and is organized by Women in Black and the Center for Peace and Democracy Development.
December 10th , Feminist approach to Justice, Belgrade: Lecture about her experiences in theory and practice of feminism, held by Staša Zajović, as a part of an academic course ‘Responsibility’, within the Women’s Studies. Approximately 20 students attended the lecture, which was followed by the projection of a documentary 'The Women of Srebrenica speak'.
December 16th, Promotion of books ‘Mother Mejra Offers and Seeks the Truth’ and ‘The Bloody Truth of Prijedor – the promotion of books written by Mejra Dautović was organized in the town’s Cultural Center, in Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was followed by the discussion between the participants, Women in Black activists, Dah theatre artists from Belgrade and mother and author Mejra Dautović, the representative of the Bihać community and the organizer of the promotion and theatre play. This event confirmed the enormous importance of mutual support and cooperation, especially through artistic approach, in building a just and sustainable peace and the culture of solidarity. Event had more than 100 participants.
December 25th, Not in our name, Leskovac: The event included the presentation of the documentary ‘Not in our name’ and the discussion on the feminist approach to transitional justice. The participants in the discussion were Women in Black activists, Nevena Kostić and Mirjana Mijailović from Leskovac, Svetlana Šarić and Maja Pešić from Vlasotince, Ljiljana Radovanović, Miloš Urošević and Staša Zajović from Belgrade. The event was organized at the Cultural Center in Leskovac and had 45 participants.
December 28th, ‘Dejan Nebrigić-rebel with a cause’, Belgrade: The promotion of the book published at the 10th anniversary of killing of Serbia’s first gay activist, antifascist, Women in Black activist, writer, theater critic and the promoter of The Campaign against homophobia. The event was organized at the CFCD, and participants Lepa Mlađenović, Staša Zajović and Dušan Maljković (Gayten) shared their memories of Dejan Nebrigić and his civil disobedience, nonviolent resistance and active artistic pacifism, expressed through different art forms, in front of 70 participants. On November 29th, Women in Black activists held the commemoration at the cemetery in Pančevo, where Dejan Nebrigić is buried.
Joint initiatives on transitional justice: consultations, conferences, seminars…
REKOM activities: The coalition for the founding of a regional commission to establish and bring to public attention the facts on war crimes and other severe human rights abuses in the former Yugoslavia (REKOM) is one of the most important initiatives, which involves over fifty organizations of civil society in the former Yugoslavia. Women in Black activists have been active from the very beginning in the REKOM coalition; during this reporting period we took part in the following activities:
September 7th, Kruševac: Consultations about the funding of Regional Commission (REKOM) took place at City Council in Krusevac, and were organized by the ‘Peščanik’ group (member of Women in Black Network in Serbia). Four Women in Black activists from Belgrade attended the consultations.
September 18th, Belgrade: Women in Black activists attended Activity coordination group meeting, organized for all REKOM Coalition members from Serbia.
October 9th, Belgrade: Consultations with women’s organizations and female scientists, journalists, and politicians, about the funding of REKOM, organized by Women in Black and The Humanitarian Law Center. Consultation attended 73 participants from Serbia, and the activists from Israel and the Palestine, Guatemala, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
October 23rd, Podgorica, Montenegro: One Woman in Black activist from Serbia attended REKOM Consultations for the civil society groups from Montenegro.
December 17th, Belgrade: 4 Women in Black activists from Serbia attended National consultations with the non-government organizations on the founding of REKOM, organized by the Humanitarian Law Center from Belgrade.
October 6th – 8th, Belgrade: Annual ‘Impunity Watch’ exchange meeting and the international conference on reducing impunity of war crimes and comparing the experiences in different countries related to appliance of transitional justice mechanisms. Two Women in Black activists participated in this conference.
October 8th , Belgrade: Staša Zajović was one of the presenters at the Impunity Watch panel discussion about the role of civil society in transitional justice processes, organized at CFCD.
November 23rd, Belgrade: Public discussion about the responsibility for the destruction of Vukovar, held at the City hall in Belgrade, organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights and the Agency for Cooperation with NGOs and for European Harmonization. Approximately 10 Women in Black activists attended this event.
December 26th, Belgrade: Two Women in Black activists attended Impunity Watch training for the activists to lobby against the impunity.
During the report period, Women in Black, Humanitarian Law Center, Helsinki Human Rights Committee and Youth Initiative for Human Rights and other organizations sent dozens of public letters and appeals, as a way of public pressure on government institutions that might help in fighting impunity, in order to achieve complete application of transitional justice mechanisms.
Networking, coalitions – mutual suport and solidarity: Women in Black activists have started or still actively take part in numerous regional networks, coalitions and unions, active in actions of similar organizations in order to make stronger mutual support, solidarity within civic society, starting united initiatives to deffend rights in Serbia and the whole region. In this period we held/produced many actions, of which we will emphasize the following:
Women in Black network in Serbia: Along with the activities stated above, related mostly to transitional justice, Women in Black activists participated in the following activities, mostly work and consultancy meetings and educational programs:
Seminars on globalization ‘Me and the globalization’: Workshops and the interactive lectures about the globalization theory, the impact of neo-liberal economic globalization and gender aspect of globalization, and its alternatives and new global strategies developed by feminist, antimilitarist and alterglobalist movements, against political, economic and army powers. In the reporting period, we held two seminars:
September 29th, Kruševac: The seminar was organized by Women in Black and local women’s group 'Peščanik'. It had 15 female participants.
October 20th, Leskovac: The seminar was organized by Women in Black and local women’s group 'Women for Peace', and had 17 participants. Marijana Stojčić and Ivana Vitas coordinated the event.
Women`s rhythm of the cities /Feminist city mapping – research project that involves compiling historical material and writings about women important for their local communities, who considerably contributed to cultural, political and economic history, as well as about remarkable peace activists. The project is instigated by the experience gathered in an earlier project 'Famous women of Novi Sad’, where authors used different theoretical models to map Novi Sad from a women’s perspective. Women in Black activists organized following trainings and lectures related to this project: Dimitrovgrad, (September 12th and 26th), Leskovac, (September 27th), Belgrade, (September 30th) and Kruševac (November 7th).
This project, important from the activist and research point of view, gathered 34 Women in Black activists from different cities in Serbia. In the following period, researchers will gather historical material, such as biographic data and photographs, on women who have made an imprint on their communities. Project coordinator is Gordana Stojaković.
December 4th – 6th, Bela crkva, Vojvodina: Work meeting held with the coordination teams engaged in the Women in Black educational programs. Meetings included the discussions on different aspects of activism, work evaluations for the previous period and reflections on new challenges, created by different political, social and economic situation, globally and regionally. The meeting, which was also a chance to plan Women in Black future activities, had 23 participants, Women in Black activists from Belgrade, Leskovac, Sremski Karlovci, Kikinda and Vlasotince.
December 11th – 13th, Belgrade: Women in Black work group meeting, related to horizontal networking and other Women in Black activities. Ten activists from Belgrade, Dimitrovgrad, Leskovac, Kruševac and Vlasotince attended the meeting.
Bulletin 'Solidarity is our strength': Since January 2009, Women in Black has been publishing a monthly bulletin in Serbian, which brings monthly updates on human and women’s rights and their violations, with an accent on global networks Women in Black cooperate with. To strengthen the values of global solidarity and support, and offer counter-information rarely seen in the mainstream media, this bulletin is distributed primarily among Women in Black activists from Serbia and related regional networks. The editors are Nataša Lambić and Saša Kovačević.
Solidarity campaigns: Along with other civil society organizations Women in Black initiated numerous solidarity campaigns, of which we will emphasize the following:
September 18th, Belgrade, From a ban to quote to a ban of book: Press conference organised by Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights, initiated by the censorship act and the repression of the Supreme Court of Republic of Serbia, in a case of book ‘The Case of Civil Servant Aleksandar Tijanic’ published by the Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights. Aleksandar Tijanic is the General Manager of Serbian National Television, and the court's decision to ban quoting of someone on such possition shows complete inferiority of court, compared to the will of political elite that holds the power, and also censorship as a mechanism to control civil society. Defying this decision, in solidarity with YUCOM, the press conference is attended Miljenko Dereta (Civil Initiatives), Vesna Petrović (Belgrade Human Rights Center), Borka Pavićević (CFCD) and Staša Zajović (WIB).
September 21st ‘Peace one day’: The film presentation and the discussion, held at CFCD, on the anniversary of the Peace Day, celebrated since 1981, is, this year, celebrated globally, more than ever, raising awareness, on nuclear disarmament. Marija Perković, Women in Black activist, spoke at the event, organized by the Center for Peace and Democracy Development and Women in Black.
Support to ‘Gay Pride Parade’: In September, Women in Black supported fully the actions of the Organizational board of the pride parade, which was scheduled for September 20th. Unfortunately, the parade was canceled due to the lack of will and lack of capacity in government institutions to stop and sanction clerical fascist and neo-nazi organizations, in order to secure safety of Pride parade participants.
Antifascist solidarity: Women in Black, along with ‘Labris’, a group that protects the rights of lesbians, and ‘Antifascists in action’ group, and art theatre 'Škart' organized five work meetings in October (14th , 19th , 22nd , 23rd and 29th ) and two in November (2nd , 3rd , 4th and 8th ) , in order to celebrate November 9th, and to fight the silence of government institutions toward brutal violence coming from neo-nazi and clerical -fascist organizations in Serbia. As a result of these meetings, November 9th was celebrated by antifascist action ‘In solidarity against fascism – Antifascism is my choice’, a march through Belgrade city center and other activities. Over 30 activists were included in this organization, which happened in Women in Black premises.
November 10th, ‘Why is it important to unblock Stabilization and Association Agreement to Serbia?’ Belgrade: Press conference at the Media Center, organized by the Center for Euro-Atlantic studies, attended by several Women in Black activists.
December 11th, Public life standards, Belgrade: Panel discussion organized by the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights in Belgrade, in which Women in Black activists took an active part.
Women, Peace, Security – Feminist - Antimilitaristic Approach: In the reporting period, Women in Black has realized the following activities related to feminist approach to security, through 1325 Resolution:
Education activities - Coordination team prep meeting and trainings: In the report period we had four (4) meetings of the Coordination team of 10 Women in Black activists, coordinators of five regional education seminars ‘From traditional to feminist security concept’. The first regional seminar is planned for February 2010.
October 30th, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gender perspective and security: Women in Black activist Staša Zajović participated in the international conference about the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the lobbying actions, and the institutional and activist practice. The conference was organized by the group ‘Women to Women’ from Sarajevo.
October 31st, Belgrade: Women, peace, security – Resolution 1325 and the Declaration of human rights defenders: Press conference, held at the Media center, organized on the 9th anniversary of Resolution 1325 and the 10th anniversary of the Declaration. Women in Black activists Maja Pešić, from Vlasotince, Vera Marković and Marijana Stojčić from Belgrade and Katarina Jozić, activist of Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights from Belgrade presented joined activities in this area, particularly the lobbying and the implementation of the documents mentioned above.
Secularism is women’s issue– activities against the clericalization and fundamentalism.
October 7th, Belgrade: Women in Black activists actively participated in the round table ‘Non-government organizations and religious communities – im/possible to cooperate’, organized by the Centre for Development of Civil Society.
October 16th, Belgrade: Two Women in Black activists had a meeting with RS Ombudsman Saša Janković, related to the appeal that Coalition for secular state submitted because of the unconstitutionality of the Law on Churches and Religious Communities .
November 20th, Belgrade: Solidarity action and the discussion about the clericalization, organized by the members of the Coalition for secular state, as part of global solidarity action with the related network ‘Women Living under Muslim Laws’ (WLUML).
November 24th, Kruševac: Lecture and the panel discussion ‘The importance of secularism for the democracy and women’s human rights’, where the panelists were Snežana Tabački, Nastasja Radović and Staša Zajović. The discussion was organized by Women in Black Network and 'Peščanik' group from Kruševac. It was held in the City Hall, with 35 participants.
December 8, Kruševac: Women in Black Network activists and 'Peščanik' group from Kruševac organized a panel discussion entitled ‘Science and secularism’. The speakers at this discussion, organized at the City Hall, with 31 participants, were Lino Veljak, professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, Miodrag Kapetanović, member of The Institute of Mathematics at Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and Jelena Simić, from Union Law School in Belgrade.
In this report period, we have organized the first meeting of two related anticlerical Coalitions – Coalition for secular state from Serbia and Coalition for secularism from Croatia. The meeting will be held in Zagreb, on 15th and 16th of January, 2010.
Publishing activities: During the report period, Women in Black has published the following titles:
Participation in the October Book Fair: During Belgrade book fair, on October 29th, Miloš Urošević and Gordana Stojaković presented Women in Black publishing activity, as well as regional feminist publications.
Feminist peace agenda for 2010: Dedicated to feminist pacifism, agenda has 168 pages and is printed in 750 copies. Saša Kovačević and Miloš Urošević edited the material, Biljana Rakočević was the photographer of antimilitarist events and 'Škart' did the cover design.
Dejan Nebrigić, rebel with a cause: A book dedicated to Dejan Nebrigić, first gay activist in Serbia, founder of the first gay/lesbian organization 'Arkadia', also Women in Black activist and theater critic. The book was published on the 9th anniversary of his murder. First part of the book is a compilation of Dejan Nebrigić’s writings, while the second part is a collection of his friends’ memories. Book has 128 pages and is published in 300 copies. 'Škart' designed the covers.
‘Bloody Truth of Prijedor’: A book written by Mother Mejra Dautovic, the survivor of the massacre committed in Prijedor. The book is dedicated to her killed children Edna and Edvin, and preserves eyewitness’ memories of this crime. Publisher Planjax published this book in 1000 copies.
Info edition for Women in Black Network: This edition, which Women in Black started in January 2009, serves as an alternative information exchange system for Women in Black activists in Serbia. It includes the knowledge on feminism, antimilitarism, transitional justice and women’s rights, which is a result of our activists’ motives, but is also a mechanism to share internal agreements and rules between the activists of Women in Black Network in Serbia.
In this report period, Women in Black have published two booklets Antifascism and Alternative History, each 32 pages long.
International politics: In the reporting period Women in Black actively participated in international conferences, global solidarity campaigns and visits. Many of Women in Black activities can be categorized as international meetings, exchanges and visits, of which we will emphasize the following:
September 11th – 13th, Sarajevo: International conference ‘Women’s network in Bosnia and Herzegovina’, organized by the 'Cure' foundation from Sarajevo. The exhibition about the work of Women in Black opened the conference in the Museum of the Revolution and seven activists from Serbia attended the conference in order to share the experience and present the work of Women in Black network.
September 15th -22nd: Two Italian Women in Black activists from Milano, Graziella Longoni and Libera Mazzoleni, visited Serbia. During the visit, we had numerous working meetings of exchange and mutual information sharing between Women in Black activists from Serbia and Italy.
September 16th, Belgrade: Graziella Longoni and Libera Mazzoleni , at Women in Black quarter, held the discussion on the present situation in Italy and existing fascist tendencies, which are the result of long term impunity, that has started with the fascists war criminals after the Second World War. Also, they spoke about peace, feminist and alterglobalist movements and the engaged art in Italy. 26 Women in Black activists attended this discussion.
September 25th, Belgrade: International meeting of human rights defenders, organized by the OSCE, UNHCR and The Ministry of Human and Minority Rights of Serbia, with the common goal to create support group for the human rights defenders, who are frequently attacked.
October 7th, Belgrade: Women’s activists from Israel and Palestine, Kvinna till Kvinna coordinators for Serbia and Montenegro and one Women in Black activist held the meeting with the representatives of ‘Nemezis’, a section in the ‘Independence’ Union. The meeting was about their ten-year-long experience in representation of women in the labor market. At the meeting, we spoke of wide range of violations of women’s work related rights, such as moonlighting, firing due to pregnancy, lower incomes and gender related mobbing.
October 12th, Pristine, Kosovo: International female workshop on militarization, where the participants from Serbia, Kosovo, Israel and Palestine had a chance to share their experience on this topic. Our guests spoke about the militarization of Palestine, and their solidarity gathering, in order to confront the war and achieve sustainable peace. Women in Black and Kosovo Women’s Network activists presented their long-term cooperation, based on friendship, solidarity and trust, which resulted in establishing Women’s Peace Coalition in 2006, with the aspiration to overcome antagonisms and help bringing Serbian and Albanian people back together in peace, based on justice and reconciliation.
October 13th, Ugljare, Kosovo: International meeting, organized by the women’s group from Ugljare, member of KWN, active in the Serbian enclaves in Kosovo. Serbian activists shared their good experience on cooperation with Albanian women’s organizations within KWN, and spoke about their common work on building security and respecting the rights of the minority groups. Women in Black activists from Serbia and Kosovo, as well as our guests, activists from Middle East, attended this meeting.
October 16th – 17th, Belgrade: International meeting organized by the Holland foundation Mama Cash and Anti Trafficking Center from Belgrade. The topic was the analysis of international help policies, its problems, obstacles and challenges, especially seen through practice of activists from Serbia and East European countries.
October 25th – 29th, Albania: Return visit to Albanian women’s groups, organized by Peščanik from Kruševac, Serbia. Our 23 activists, 13 from Kruševac and 12 from Women in Black Network, during this visit, held following meetings:
October 26th, Pogradec: Our activists met with local female politicians and women’s group ‘Us women’
October 27th, Drač: Meeting with women’s groups activists, in city’s Culture center, followed by the evening visit to the group that supports women with special needs (mostly poor women from North Albania), and to the women’s group that helps women victims of family violence. On the way back, activists visited Tirana.
November 30th, Barcelona: Women in Black activists attended the international conference ‘Violations of Women’s rights to work and its’ after effects on the Millennium Goals’.
Research visits by international activists and researchers from the following countries:
Great Britain, United States of America, Brazil and Italy.
Bulletin ‘Short News from the Balkans – Women in Black report: The bulletin, written in English, brings the information about the most important activities of Women in Black and other regional related civil society organizations, in order to inform international networks we cooperate with; short reports on chosen Women in Black regional activities, with appropriate photographs, are being published from November 2009, and are edited by Saša Kovačević.
In this reporting period, Women in Black joined numerous solidarity campaigns all over the world, in order to protect threatened women’s rights.
January 15th, 2010.
Report prepared by Staša Zajović, along with Miloš Urošević, Ljiljana Radovanović, Snežana Tabački and Nataša Lambić.
