Reports

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We would like to thank you in advance for your understanding.

Street actions – 30

• Commemorations / remembrance of important dates of crimes committed in our name, as well as other crimes against the civilian population, during and after the wars – 11
• Feminist, anti-fascist, anti-war, anti-racist, anti-militarist – 19

About 900 people took part in these actions.

Confronting the past / transitional justice - a feminist approach

Visiting the sites of crimes committed in our name, as well as other crimes against civilians committed during and after the war in the former Yugoslavia: 13 visits (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia) to the following places, chronological overview:

• 27^th February, Prijepolje – 28^th anniversary of the crime in Štrpci;
• 23^rd April, Batajnica near Belgrade- visiting the former mass grave of Kosovo Albanians killed during 1999.
• 23^rd April, Belgrade - commemoration of RTS workers killed during the NATO bombing, 1999.;
• 31^st May and 1^st June, Zvornik – commemorations on the occasion of the 29^th anniversary of the crimes against Bosniak civilians
• 11^th June, Tuzla - Tribute to the victims of the ‘Tuzla Gate’ (May 25, 1995) and peace protest with the women of Srebrenica
• 19^th June, Foča - 'We remember women raped in the war - We remember the women of Foča, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence'
• 1^th July – Srebrenica – 26^th anniversary of the genocide
• 3^rd August, Lučani – 5^th October - Topčider/Beograd - 17 anniversary of the murder of the Guards / Belgrade;
• 15^th October – visit to the Memorial Centre in Potočari with the women of Srebrenica;
• 18^th October - Lovas/Croatia, 30th anniversary of the killing of Croatian civilians;
• 19^th November – 30^th anniversary of the Vukovar crime;
• 20^th December, Vranić near Blograde - 78^th anniversary of the crimes of fascist Chetnik formations in World War II.

Accountability for the Crimes - The Road to a Just Peace: Monitoring the Trial before the Special Court for War Crimes, Belgrade

We monitored three (3) cases, a total of five (5) hearings for the following crimes committed on the territory of BH (Kravica / Srebrenica, Bratunac II and Štrpci, Serbia). In this reporting period as well, due to the epidemiological situation, the trials were either canceled or closed to the public.

Artistic engagement in dealing with the past / transitional justice

During this period, the practice of joint work and cooperation of art collectives, professional theaters, artists engaged in the artistic design of resistance to war, war crimes, repression, human rights violations continued. In order to jointly design street actions, working meetings were held with the art groups Škart, Dah Theater and Hleb Theater.Video activism: transitional justice - a feminist approach

• We remember women raped in the war – We remember the women of Foča (4 min.) – a documentary about the street action under the same name in Belgrade, on 17^th June.
• Srebrenica – the name of genocide (11 min.) – street action in Belgrade on 10^th July on the occasion of the 26^th anniversary of the genocide
• “Stop the killing of women!” (7 min.) – street action on the occasion of 6^th December – International Day to End Femicide

Women’s Court - a feminist approachto justice

The first Women's Court / W'sC in Europe was held in Sarajevo in May 2015, organized by 10 women's groups from the former Yugoslavia. WiB coordinated the five-year organization process, as well as the continuation of the W’sC process (W’sC witness network, regional meetings, public W’sC presentations; mothers for peace in solidarity, feminist ethics of care, etc. During 2021, two W’sC regional meetings were held:

Tuzla (Bosnia and Hercegovina) – 10^th and 11^th June - the thirteenth (13^th) Regional Women’s Court meeting was attended by 14 women – W’sC witnesses from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as organizers, therapists and W’sC associates.

Radmilovac/Belgrade, 8^th, 9^th and 10^th October - the fourteenth (14^th) Regional meeting was attended by 35 women - W’sC witnesses from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia, as well as organizers, therapists and activists.

Feminist ethics of care and responsibility – actions of women's solidarity - feminist ethics of care and responsibility, in order to strengthen mutual support, trust and friendship:

Visits to the W’sC witnesses: five (5) in BH, Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia.

Active women's holiday in the women's house 'Seka' Brač / Croatia from 5th to 21st August: eleven (11) women - witnesses, W’sC activists BH, Croatia and Serbia stayed on the island of Brač.

"We remember the anti-war resistance" – marking the 30^th anniversary of the anti-war resistance in Serbia (1991-2021) – the following activities were organized:

I We remember the anti-war resistance of the nineties – solidarity visits (4) to activists in the Tisza River Basin (Potisje): Ada/Vojvodina as part of preparations for a publication on anti-war resistance in Ada and Potisje during the 90’s: 16^th April, 7^th and 17^th May and 17^th July.

II We remember anti-war resistance - Vera Vebel Tatić and the Center for Anti-War Action Ada - promotion of the publication of the same name about Vera Vebel Tatić (1943-2020), initiator of the Center for Anti-War Action / CAA in Ada, organizer of many anti-war protests in Ada and Potisje and Vojvodina in general. The contribution of the CAA and Vera Vebel Tatić is enormous in helping rebels against the war (deserters, conscientious objectors, refugees and all others who refused to take part in the war), victims of ethnic cleansing not only in Vojvodina, but also in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Vera established bridges of peace and solidarity among citizens of all ethnic and state affiliations.

Eleven (11) promotions were held, featuring activists from the 1990s; About 300 people from all countries of the former Yugoslavia took part in these promotions, as well as from Austria, the Netherlands and Germany:

• 13^th September, Ada/Northern Bačka/Vojvodina
• 18^th September, meeting of the Women in Black Network, Vrnjačka Banja
• 27^th September, Đulići, BH
• 5^th October, Belgrade – in the premises of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights;
• 10^th October, Belgrade (Regional Meeting of the Women’s Court)
• 21^st October, Leskovac;
• 2rd October, Kotor/Montenegro;
• 5^th November, Senta;
• 7^th December, Novi Sad;
• 13^th December, Belgrade – press conference in WiB premises;
• 14^th December, Pančevo.

III Map of anti-war resistance 1991/92 - promotion of Women in Black - remembrance of numerous civil anti-war actions, rebellions of reservists, deserters, their parents, as well as women's anti-war initiatives, art activist events, anti-war concerts, media… The map was promoted within of the above events, as well as on all WiB activities.

Dealing with the past: meetings, lectures, zoom conferences, press conferences…) organized by WiB and related civil society organizations: twelve (12) online conferences on transitional justice, women's peace activism in the 90's, in BHS languages, English, and Spanish.

Networks, coalitions - mutual support and solidarity

WiB Network Meetings: two (2) meetings attended by 91 activists:

19^th, 20^th and 21^st March 2021 in Radmilovac near Belgrade – 41 participants from 18 cities from BH, Montenegro and Serbia were present, as well as activists from: Poland, Germany, Mexico, who participated via Skype.

Meeting of the Women in Black Network, September 17^th, 18^th and 19^th, in Vrnjačka Banja - 50 activists from the former Yugoslavia participated: from Bosnia and Herzegovina; Montenegro; Croatia; Kosovo; Serbia, as well as four activists from Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.

Educational programs - in addition to the above, we organized:

Women's Peace Activism, Đulići, Bosnia and Herzegovina - four (4) meetings were held within this educational program (running since the beginning of 2016): March 2, April 1, June 25, September 27 and 28, and October 24 and 25, attended by 90 women from about ten places in the Zvornik area, eastern Bosnia.

Belgrade, April 21^st-23^rd - peace meeting organized by Women in Black, Belgrade and youth group LIVRIT, Preševo to strengthen interethnic and intercultural solidarity, foster a culture of remembrance and activist-artistic engagement. Six Albanian activists from Preševo and WiB activists took part in this meeting. Several activist and artistic events were held during the meeting.

7^th and 8^th June, Preševo "Through dialogue to just peace and security" - 22 activists from Presevo, Belgrade participated in the peace meeting held in Preševo on June 7 and 8, 2021, organized by the youth group 'Livrit', Preševo and Women in Black, Belgrade. Leskovac, Vlasotince, Bujanovac, Subotica ... Preševo is a municipality in the south of Serbia and over 90% of the inhabitants are of Albanian nationality.

Women's Peace Meeting, Leskovac, October 21^st - organized by: NENA - Group for Peace and Women's Rights and Women in Black, Belgrade, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the death of Nevena Kostić - Nena (August 1, 1968 - October 21, 2011), founder of 'Women for Peace', activist of the WiB Network, pacifist and  feminists About twenty (20) people from Leskovac, Niš, Vlasotince and Belgrade participated in this meeting.

 

Feminist roundtable discussions – Ten (10) FRD were held, with the participation of 140 persons.

Novi Sad, 6^th March - Women's studies as an academic and activist higher education program in our country - organized by Women's Studies and Research, Novi Sad and WiB, Belgrade; 13 people from Belgrade, Novi Sad and Subotica participated.

Novi Sad, 24^th April - the continuation of the FRD on Women's Studies was organized by: Women's Studies and Research, From the Circle… Vojvodina and WiB, Belgrade; 13 women from Novi Sad, Belgrade and Subotica attended.

22^nd May, Kavač near Kotor / Montenegro - A discussion circle ‘What is to be done?’ Was held in the ‘House of Free Thought’, organized by Anima, Kotor, Women in Black, Belgrade and the Academic Initiative Forum 10 from Novi Pazar. 19 people from 10 cities participated in the FRD: Bar, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Herceg Novi, Kotor, Podgorica, Pljevlja and Ulcinj (Montenegro) as well as Belgrade and Novi Pazar.

"Where is feminism going - here and now?" - feminist roundtable discussion organized by Women in Black

Four (4) feminist roundtable discussions / FRD were held during June 2021 in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the following places: Tuzla (June 10), Belgrade (June 23); Đulići (June 25) and June 26 in Novi Sad. Sixty (60) people participated in these FRDs, mostly women and four men. These FRDs were attended by: witnesses and organizers of the Women's Court - feminist approach to justice; activists of feminist organizations (Women in Black, Women's Studies from Belgrade and Novi Sad, I believe, LGB-gay-lesbian organizations from Belgrade, etc.

Belgrade, 24^th June "Are the left and the right obsolete terms?" - a discussion circle on the role of the modern left was held in WiB premises; 14 people from Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Novi Pazar and Zagreb participated.

Belgrade, September 7^th, 8^th and 9^th: "European citizens United in Freedom and human rights / EUFREE" - International conference within the project "Europe Yesterday" (comparative analysis of school textbooks - with the participation of scientific team of historians and activists from the region. Other debates were also held. From 10^th-13^th September, an ‘Intergenerational Journey through Remembrance at Crime Scenes in the Former Yugoslavia during the 1990s (Vukovar) and in the Second World War) was organized. Jasenovac, Kampor Memorial / Rab, Trieste. This program was attended by young people from the WiB Network of Serbia, as well as activists from BH and Italy.

Belgrade, October 1^st - a roundtable discussion on "State-building myths among Serbs" in which 12 people from Belgrade, Niš and Novi Pazar participated.

Kotor / Montenegro, October 23 and 24 - Where is Montenegro going? - A roundtable discussion of activists from Montenegro and Serbia was held in the House of Free Thought, Kavač, near Kotor, and organized by 'Anima' Kotor, Academic Initiative Forum 10, Novi Pazar and WiB, Belgrade. This is the third (since October 2020) meeting of civil society organizations, media, political scene, independent intellectuals from Montenegro and Serbia (from Kotor, Herceg Novi, Pljevlja, Podgorica, Budva, Bajina Bašta, Belgrade, Novi Pazar).

Belgrade, December 4 'Serbia and War Criminals' - a debate organized by the Civic Democratic Forum / CDF, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Women in Black and the Alliance of Antifascists of Serbia with the participation of activists: Zoran Vuletić, Sonja Biserko, Aleksandar Kraus and Staša Zajović. About twenty (20) people attended the debate, held at the CDF premises.

A feminist approach to the problem of sexual violence in the war in the former Yugoslavia: for a culture of remembrance and responsibility - three (3) educational seminars organized by WiB together with the Autonomous Women's Center and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights.

The first seminar was held in Jastrebac (Kruševac) on November 26, 27 and 28, and 23 women from the following cities participated: Belgrade, Kruševac, Aleksandrovac, Brus, Trstenik, Ćićevac, Varvarin.

The second seminar was held in Radmilovac (Belgrade) on December 4, 5 and 6; 23 participants from the following places: Belgrade, Leskovac, Vlasotince, Kraljevo, Prijepolje, Pljevlja (Montenegro), and a dozen villages from the municipality of Zvornik (BH).

The third seminar was held in Novi Sad, December 11 - a one-day seminar in "shortened scope" was held in cooperation with Women's Studies and Research and From the Circle of Vojvodina. The meeting was attended by 15 people from Novi Sad, Subotica and Belgrade.

Roundtable discussions, lectures and debates in the Women in Black premises - “Wednesdays at WiB”

The practice of regular discussion circles, lectures and joint reflections on important social and political issues in the country and the world, book promotions, film screenings, etc. During 2021, 40 events were organized in which 650 people participated. It has also not only continued, but also expanded the practice of thematic cycles, of which we list: Feminist approach to health - with a focus on joint reflection on the consequences of the pandemic; "They Dared: About Famous Women" - deliberations, presentations, screenings of documentaries and feature films about famous women throughout history that have left their mark on art, literature, science; Reading roundtables - joint reading and commenting on political essays, literary works - from the history of the feminist movement, feminist engagement in literature, art and philosophy, etc.; Anti-militarism - non-violence - anti-fascism - civil disobedience, etc. - workshops and lectures; International politics - challenges, dilemmas, controversies ... - about current crises in the region and beyond, including activists from the International WiB Network (via Zoom), as well as experts on certain issues, etc.

Mutual support - we participated in the activities of related civil society organizations (lectures, debates, press conferences, book promotions in Belgrade, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad, Kruševac, etc.

Solidarity is our strength - with members of endangered and disenfranchised minority communities (social-class, ethnic-racial, sexual), citizens whose human rights (labor, educational, cultural) are threatened.

I Solidarity with War Refugees from the Middle East - Women in Black began in 2013 when we organized solidarity actions against racist attacks that culminated in late 2013. During 2021 we organized:

Direct actions - solidarity assistance in the fieldd has several segments and includes:

Uzajamna podrška – učestvovale smo u aktivnostima srodnih organizacija civilnog društva (predavanja, debate, konferencije za štampu, promocije knjiga u Beogradu, Novom Pazaru, Novom Sadu, Kruevcu itd.

Solidarnost je naša snaga - sa pripadnicama/ima ugroženih i obespravljenih manjinskih zajednica (socijalno-klasnih, etničko-rasnih, seksualnih), građanima/nkama čija su ljudska prava (radna, obrazovna, kulturna), ugrožena.

I Solidarnost sa ratnim izbeglicama sa Bliskog istoka -  Žene u crnom su započele 2013. kada smo organizovale solidarne akcije protiv rasističkih napada koji su kulminirali krajem 2013. godine. Tokom 2021. organizovale smo:

Direktne akcije - solidarna pomoć na terenu ima više segmenata i obuhvata:

• Pljevlja, Montenegro (on the border between Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina) - visits to the Bona Fide Open Center (WiB Network) which has been organizing assistance and support to refugees since 2017 and so far, thousands of refugees and migrants from the Middle East have passed through this center, where they are provided with humanitarian aid and solidarity support. During 2020, WiB activists visited Pljevlja (2) times (March 16-19 and October 25), providing humanitarian aid and solidarity support to Bona Fide in working with refugees.
• - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - refugees from the Middle East, but also from North Africa, began arriving in June 2018 in this city from the direction of Serbia and Montenegro, as a 'transit' place to Croatia. During 2020, Ramiz Berbić, a WiB Network activist from Tuzla, organized, on behalf of WiB, humanitarian aid and solidarity with refugees in Tuzla: April 1, 10 and 20.

II Solidarity with the Milivojević family from Lučani – monitoring of the trial in Ivanjica: visits to  Ivanjica, and monitoring of the trial in the proceedings launcheded by the Milivojević family (due to the death of their son in the weapons factory in Lučani, July 14, 2017). WiB has been continuously monitoring the trial since November 2019, and six hearings were held during 2021 (6): March 15, May 5, July 1, September 2, October 18 and December 1. Trials were accompanied by constant obstruction, and often delayed due to the pandemic.

III Solidarity with the journalists – we monitored two trials in the courts in Belgrade - a total of 6 hearings:

The trial for the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija - Slavko Ćuruvija, owner and editor-in-chief of the daily "Dnevni Telegraf", was killed on April 11, 1999. As part of the trial of four former members of the State Security Department in 2021, two hearings were held: on October 25 and December 2, the Belgrade High Court sentenced four defendants - sentenced to 100 years in prison for participating in the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija – the sentences are identical as in the first instance proceedings.

The trial for setting fire to the house of journalist Milan Jovanović - journalist (portal Zig info) is on December 12, 2018. year, a fire broke out in which his house burned down. Former President of the Municipality of Grocka, Dragoljub Simonović, is accused of inciting the burning of a journalist's house. The trial began in April 2019. During 2021, four (4) hearings were held: on February 1, 11 and 23, and on December 24, 2021, the Belgrade Court of Appeals overturned the conviction for setting fire to the house of journalist Milan Jovanović, returning the case to the Second Basic Court in Belgrade for retrial.

These trials are accompanied by constant obstructions, and due to the pandemic, they are constantly being postponed.

IV Solidarity with the activists of the Corona virus pandemic

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have established various forms of mutual support and solidarity within the WiB Network, of which we list the following:

Solidarity support to the activists of the WiB Network - the practice of distributing humanitarian aid to the most socially endangered activists (modest in scale, in accordance with the possibilities) has continued.

V Solidarity assistance to Vietnamese workers in Zrenjanin / Vojvodina - employed in the construction of the Chinese tire factory Linglong in Zrenjanin, exposed to brutal exploitation. WiB joined the actions of solidarity aid to Vietnamese workers organized by the Social Center October from Belgrade (humanitarian aid in clothing and food), and on December 10, several NGO groups, with the participation of WiB activists, visited workers in Zrenjanin, organized a rally in support rebellious workers.

Publishing activity – in the course of 2020, we issued nine (9) publications:

Continuity of the Struggle for Peace and Women's Rights - Neda Božinović (1917-2001) - the publication (192 pages) contains seven texts by N. Božinović (one of the founders of the WiB) on female students of the University of Belgrade in the revolutionary movement, on reproductive rights, antimilitarism.

"We remember anti-war resistance - Vera Vebel and the Center for Anti-War Action Ada" - the publication is a homage to Vera Vebel Tatić (1943-2020), founder and leader of the Center for Anti-War Action Ada and other anti-war activists in Ada and Potisje / Vojvodina; the publication has 50 pages.

Map of anti-war resistance 1991/92 - a reminder of numerous civil anti-war actions, rebellions of reservists, deserters, their parents, as well as women's anti-war initiatives, artistic-activist events, anti-war concerts, media…

Always disobedient - We are still on the streets … Women in Black - 30 years of resistance – a publication summarizing the activities of WiB: published in Serbian (50 pages) and in English (52 pages).

Always disobedient - We are still on the streets - On the same task ... 30 years of WiB (19 pages) - text of the stage action 'Political / personal / internationalist' performed by WiB activists, with the support of artistic-activist collective Škart and Hleb Theater - at the meeting of the WiB Network, September 2021.

"Combat Mourning - Political Dissidence and Women in Black" Glossary / Guide (33 pages) through the book by Greek philosopher Athena Athanasius (Agonistic Mourning - Political Dissidence and the Women in Black, Athena Athanasiou, Edinburgh University Press); translation published September 2020.

Women's Peace Agenda 2022 - deals with the war crime of rape; has 168 pages. 

Women, peace, security - feminist - anti-militarist approach - a publication dedicated to WiB activities in the field of security, from 2005 to 2021. The publication came out in Serbian and English and has 183 pages. 

Calendar 2022 - photos from street actions Women in Black during 2021; the calendar has 26 pages.

Reports - longer:

• Meetings of the Women in Black Network (March and September) - 81 pages in BiH languages ​​and 22 in English.
• General reports on the activities of Women in Black: three reports in Serbian (103 pages) and three in English ‘General reports on WiB activities’ (110 pages).
• Roundtable discussions, debates "Wednesdays in WiB" - 98 pages.
• Trial reports: 48 pages.
• Dossier ‘Repression of Human Rights Defenders - in Serbian (8 pages) and in English (9 pages)
• Women's Court - Feminist Approach to Justice - 26 pages (regional meetings); annual report in BHS languages ​​(18 pages) and in English (13 pages).

These, as well as smaller reports, but not listed, were made on the basis of hundreds of pages of transcripts. Of course, there are no ‘mandatory’ project reports!

• Press releases, appeals - 37 (dealing with the past - responsibility for war crimes, violence against women, against war, against repression of political dissidents; against refugees, etc.).

Recognition of Women in Black by the Festival of Public History for a responsible attitude towards the past and contribution to the culture of peace of the Center for Applied History). The explanation at the award ceremony on June 12, 2021 states, among other things: "On 9^th October 1991, they took to the streets of Belgrade for the first time to protest against the war, nationalism and violence that was mounting in Yugoslavia. (...) Their actions, courage and perseverance make them an indispensable part of history - those brighter sides of history in the dark period of the last 30 years. That is why today, in a symbolic way, with this modest recognition, we want to pay tribute to these brave women. "

 

We have implemented these activities with financial support of:

Global Fund for Women – 25.000,00 $

Kvinna till Kvinna – 25.100,00 EUR

Reconstruction Women’s Fund – 17.000,00 EUR

Iscos Emilia Romagna – 4.726,00 EUR

Medica Mondiale – 25.000,00 EUR

Mediterranean Fund – 3.660,00 EUR

Solidarity for the rights of all - support for human rights defenders in local communities - 8.000,00 EUR

 "European citizens United in FREEdom and human rights" - "EUFREE"– 2.000 EUR

 

Ovom prilikom im zahvaljujemo, a pre svega aktivistima/kinjama, umetničkim kolektivima, naučnicama/ama koje su na volonterskoj osnovi doprinele radu Žena u crnom tokom 2020. godine, kao i od početka rada ŽUC-a. Takođe se zahvaljujemo na solidarnoj podršci aktivistkinja Međunarodne mreže Žena u crnom.  

Beograd, mart 2022.

Report on our activities in pdf.