On October 6, 2025, a meeting was held in Tuzla between representatives of the Association Forgotten Children of War and representatives of the City Administration of Tuzla. During the meeting, the Assistant Mayor for the Service for Veterans and Disability Protection, Housing Affairs, and the Integration of Displaced Persons informed the Association about recent amendments to the Decision on the Allocation of Apartments Owned by the City of Tuzla, as well as apartments over which the City of Tuzla holds the right of disposal, adopted by the City Council.
Under these amendments, children born as a result of wartime rape have, for the first time, been explicitly recognized as a distinct category of beneficiaries entitled to exercise one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Federal Law on the Protection of Civilian Victims of War—the right to priority housing.
This decision represents a significant step forward in the practical implementation of federal legislation at the local level and clearly demonstrates the City of Tuzla’s willingness to align its regulations with the broader framework for the protection of civilian victims of war and children born as a result of wartime sexual violence.
The Association Forgotten Children of War welcomes this historic development as an example of good practice that can and should serve as a model for other local communities across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Such decisions confirm that meaningful change is possible when there is political will, institutional responsibility, and a readiness to listen to the voices of those who have been marginalized for years.
