Tuzla once was the centre of heavy industry in socialist Yugoslavia, which collapsed in the 1990s, leaving many unemployed. Over the past 30 years, the aftermath of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina still affects the city's economic situation. Although indicators are better in Tuzla than in some other areas, inequities between different social groups are large. Socially disadvantages groups such as internally displaced persons and Roma face great challenges due to a lack of social and governmental support.
Many children from Roma settlements do not have health insurance because their parents usually work in precarious working conditions in the informal sector, where they remain without access to health services. In addition, many Roma children do not attend school. Parents face financial difficulties to afford school materials, in addition, mobility and accessibility to schools present further obstacles. Girls are often expected to stay at home from the age of nine to take care of the household and family.
Since more than ten years, our partner organization Zemlja Djece has been running the TELEX youth center which provides vulnerable children with a hot meal, medicine, clothing and offers them a safe place to spend time, play and learn. Social workers support them in developing and improving rules of behaviour and hygiene. One of the main focuses of the project is tutoring and helping the children with their homework. This is especially important for children who cannot expect any educational support at home and are therefore at a great disadvantage at school. By providing children with support and educational opportunities, they have better opportunities to break the cycle of poverty and build a better future for themselves and their communities.
A special project of Zemlja Djece is the "Be a man club", which is aimed at boys and girls from all walks of life in and around Tuzla. It carries out gender-transformative work through workshops and role-playing. In addition, employees of the club go directly to the local Roma communities to sensitize Roma boys and men to gender roles and non-violent behaviour and to teach them values regarding masculinity. This is intended to develop and reinforce non-violent behaviour, which in turn can prevent violence against women, early marriage of girls and trafficking in women.
Zemlja Djece is the first non-governmental organization to sit on the advisory body of the Governmental Council for Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which means that it can also become politically involved in defending children's rights.
