COMPREHENDING THE EVENTS OF THE BOSNIAN WAR AND ITS IMPACT ON WOMENJenna Lada

BOSNIAN WAR: 1992-1995• One of several wars that took place in the Balkans from 1991-2002.

• Result of not only the breakup of Yugoslavia, but also the collapse of the Soviet Union.• Struggle for national identity among nation’s three main ethnic groups:

• Bosnian Muslims (43% of population)• Bosnian Serbs (33%)• Bosnian Croats (17%)

• Example of “new war,” as main goal relates to identity, includes both state and non-state actors, and civilians are the main targets for violence, rather than orchestrated battles.

• Despite Bosnian Muslims being the majority population, Bosnian Serbs and Croats had greater political power, due to location between the republics of Serbia and Croatia.

• Intrastate violence began between March-April 1992 following Bosnian election for independence. • With the support of right-wing nationalist Bosnian Croats, Bosnian Serbs began exerting violence against Bosnian

Muslims for political control and autonomy throughout the county.• Estimated about 350,000 casualties collectively

• 66% Bosnian Muslims• 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys alone during Srebrenica massacre, July 1995• Estimated 20,000-60,000 women and girls victims of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and rape

BOSNIAN WAR: PARTIES INVOLVED• Supporting Bosnian Serb motivations:• Army of Republik Sprska• Serbian White Eagles• Serb Volunteer Guard (Arkan’s Tigers)

• Supporting Bosnian Croat motivations:• Croation Army• Croation Defence Council• Croation Defence Forces

• Supporting Bosnia-Herzegovina/Bosnian Muslims• Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina• Bosniak Zelene Beretke (Green Berets)• Additional support received by Iran

• UN Peacekeepers, NATO, and US Army also actively involved throughout conflict

BOSNIAN WAR: ROLE AND IMPACT OF WOMEN• Systematic use of rape by Bosnian Serb forces with both physical and psychological intentions.

• “Cleanse” territory of Muslim population• Impregnate women to dilute bloodline• Social shaming of women’s national identity, as well as affecting their relationship with both their families and

communities.• Patriarchal, traditionalist perception of gender that values women’s reproductive role in society, based on religious and political

ideologies.

• Physical, mental, and sexual trauma experienced is exemplified in 2010 Irish film As If I Am Not There.• Emotional vision of the post-conflict, long-term consequence many female victims dealt with of carrying and birthing a

child who was a result of rape.• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lphJH2Wfsjw

• Female victims who testified at International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) propelled groundbreaking UN and other international policies and social changes regarding women and girl’s position and security during inter- and intrastate conflict.• Example of Bosnian women’s agency and identity and role in both conflict and peacebuilding outside of victimization.

• Women’s involvement in Bosnian army during conflict an additional example• https://iwpr.net/global-voices/bosnian-women-seek-new-roles • Demonstrates changes in gender roles today; however, women still battle against traditionalist perspectives

REFERENCES• Chinkin, Christine & Kaldor, Mary. (2013). “Gender and New Wars.” Journal of International Affairs,

67(1), p. 167-187.• Gilani, Ebrahim. (2010, August 6). “Iran’s Ungrateful European Friend.” Institute for War & Peace

Reporting (IWPR). Accessed November 3, 2016: https://iwpr.net/global-voices/irans-ungrateful-european-friend.

• Hammacher, Winfried (Producer) & Wilson, Juanita (Director). (2010). As If I Am Not There. Ireland: Octagon Films.

• Hirsch, Michele L. (2012, February 8). “Conflict Profiles: Bosnia.” Women under Siege. Accessed November 3, 2016: http://www.womenundersiegeproject.org/conflicts/profile/bosnia.

• Simic, O. (2012). “Challenging Bosnian Women's Identity as Rape Victims, as Unending Victims: The 'Other' Sex in Times of War. Journal of International Women's Studies, 13 (4), p. 129-142. 

• Nation, R. Craig. (2003). War in the Balkans, 1991-2002. Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute.• Tolj, Aleksandra and Lakić, Mladen. (2013, August 9). “Bosnian Women Seek New Roles.” Institute

for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR). Accessed November 3, 2016: https://iwpr.net/global-voices/bosnian-women-seek-new-roles.