Sarajevo
Zaboravljena djeca rata, Radnička 19b,Sarajevo 71 000, BiH
The Forgotten Children of War Association**, in partnership with Youth United for Peace (YUP), recently organized a workshop for young people to explore the meaning of equality. Through engaging and thought-provoking activities, participants reflected on the reality that not everyone begins life with the same opportunities.
One exercise illustrated this concept in a powerful way: some groups received more materials to build a tower, while others had less. By the end of the activity, participants experienced a range of emotions, reinforcing the impact of unequal opportunities.
Merjem and Senedin, representatives of the Forgotten Children of War Association, shared their personal journeys and inspired the youth to get involved in activism. At the end of the workshop, a shared message was sent: “Let’s be a society of equal values, not different labels”.
The Forgotten Children of War Association places EQUALITY since the ultimate goal of equality is FREEDOM. The organization drives change through small but impactful actions, such as the “One Parent Name” initiative, which successfully fought for the right of children to be officially registered with the name of just one parent instead of requiring the father’s name.
Thanks to the association’s efforts, children born as a result of war are now recognized as special legal category in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moreover, the Law on the Protection of Civil War Victims has brought some benefits to these children, though the law is 30 years overdue.
The impact of this law became clear when the association received a call from a mother whose son, born as a child of war, had successfully applied for official recognition as a special civilian war victim.
That moment showed the positive aspects of the law, where mothers and their children feel protected and acknowledged by society and the system. It was an encouragement for children born as a result of war to live more freely with their truth.
