Ajna Jusić: Online guest lecture on the rights of children born of wartime rape
Friday, April 26, 2024 5:30 pm EDT/GMT-4Online (Zoom)
Join via Zoom here
ABOUT THE LECTURER:
Ajna Jusić has long been a prominent activist and advocate for gender equality, fighting against sexism and sexual violence. As president of the “Forgotten Children of War (Zaboravljena djeca rata)” organization, which fights for the acknowledgment and legal status of children born as the result of wartime rape, Ajna is a tireless advocate for these children to be granted full rights as Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) citizens. Thanks to Ajna’s efforts, the Law on the Protection of Civilian Victims of War in the Federation of BiH was adopted in August 2023. The law redresses decades of marginalization and provides these children with increased access to educational opportunities and the labor market, as well as social protections and psychological support. Ajna and her colleagues were instrumental in advocating for adopting similar legislation in Brčko District.
Ajna’s activism is not limited to the rights and dignity of children born of war in BiH. Ajna’s organization works to eliminate domestic and gender-based violence in BiH and the use of rape as a tool of war around the world. In an effort to enact global change, Ajna and her organization have worked with a diverse range of victims of wartime rape, including survivors of World War II, wars in Guatemala and Uganda, and, most recently, Ukraine.
In March 2024, Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken honored Ajna Jusić at the 18th annual International Women of Courage Awards ceremony at the White House.
ABOUT THE LECTURE:
The personal experiences of children born of war reflect the political and social structure during peacetime, which often exacerbates existing trauma through patriarchal oppressive tools. The stories of children born of war help us confront both our past and ourselves and motivate us to build a better and safer future through dialogue. The concept of converting individual or collective trauma into an activist-participatory movement necessitates adherence to the principle of dialogue at every level. The fundamental shift lies in establishing a secure environment where young people can foster trust in a society that often complicates their lives, rendering them despondent due to trauma and ethnically manipulative political contexts. From such transformation emerges the readiness of young individuals to collectively address broader audiences, thereby motivating society to engage in dialogue concerning their stories and ideas.
Through the lecture, Ajna aims to provide students the opportunity to scrutinize their own roles and potential discriminatory practices that may further exacerbate the already difficult battle against injustice.
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