On September 27th, 2019, the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska unanimously adopted a proposal to amend existing laws on protection from domestic violence. The amendments adhere to the standards of the Istanbul Convention, a series of initiatives undertaken by the Council of Europe to protect women from violence. The changes to be enacted involve a mandate to inform victims about their rights, risk assessments, the inclusion of a person of trust in the process as support for the victim, and punishment for those who fail to report violence. The United Women Foundation from Banja Luka that lobbied for increased support for victims of gender-based violence strongly encouraged these reforms. The law is expected to be enforced beginning in May 2020.
Compiled from: 27 September - Bosnia Herzegovina´s proposal on the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence, WAVE Newsletter (October 31, 2019).