OSCE strengthens law enforcement and judicial response to gender-based violence through survivor engagement and theater play in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 28 and 29 April, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, held a two-day training course on gender-based violence (GBV) for 24 police and judicial professionals from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement supervisors, prosecutors, and judges to provide a comprehensive, co-ordinated institutional response to GBV cases. The training took an innovative approach by incorporating role-playing with professional actors and the participation of a GBV survivor, offering participants powerful, real-life perspectives that foster empathy and deeper understanding.

The course enabled participants to deepen their understanding of the victim-centered approach outlined in new legal provisions on domestic and gender-based violence. It also strengthened their knowledge of the dynamics and impacts of GBV, enhanced their evidence-gathering skills and introduced practical strategies for multi-sectoral co-ordination. Special attention was given to the critical role of first responders and the importance of integrating GBV-sensitive practices early in the careers of police and justice officials.

Supported by Austria and France, the training course was part of the OSCE’s project on “Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe”, active since 2021 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

The project is generously funded by Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy and Norway, and aims to promote victim-centered, gender-sensitive responses to GBV across the region.