In light of the recent events, Balkan Diskurs has been working on a series about the challenges faced by Bosnian children with special needs and their families. These are their stories.
Kemal Nedzibovic is a pure example of how a young person from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) can turn activism into action. At just 24 years old, this young Tuzlak (a person from Tuzla) is already considered an expert in European law, policy, and integration.
Mahmut is a nine-year-old boy with autism. His mother, Samija, noticed he was having problems when he was just one and a half years old. Until that time, he had been developing like any typical child.
In the aftermath of conflict, societies are faced with the challenge of rebuilding their education systems under the auspices of new political landscapes. Oftentimes, those that suffer most from these broken education systems are children, especially those physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
According to a study conducted by the World Bank, more than one million adults and two thousand children aged 10 to 14 in Bosnia and Herzegovina are daily tobacco users. Not only does tobacco usage impact the users, but also creates issues such as exposing non-smokers to second-hand smoke, and experts warn that even brief exposure warrants risk.
“You see a lot of human rights practices and norms under assault all over the world. In our region especially, we are witnessing the forces of nationalism and populism and there’s a growing perception that the US isn’t as engaged as a steward for human rights as it once was,” says Cooley.