The experience of internally displaced women during the Bosnian war

Abstract

Bosnian war is covering the categories of an ethnic, religious, inter-state, civil, international and protracted armed conflict, due to its highly complex nature. Since the Second World War, it has brought one of the greatest human suffering in history. Despite the enormous number of civil casualties, migration domain is often a topic that gets slightly overlooked and less analyzed. With this, migration of internally displaced women is not a topic that is greatly searched about. This thesis focuses on not only the migration flow of women inside the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also on the torture and psychological distress that they had to endure under these circumstances. Chapter 1 focuses on the theoretical framework alongside the presentation of the historical background of the war. Chapter 2 then reflects on the displacement and life of women who had to fight for survival and the trauma during the genocide in Srebrenica as well as other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will be analyzed how migration flows not only show a natural phenomena of people moving to other places because of certain reasons, but also the nature of elements that affect them the most in pull-push factors and decisions to leave their homes. With political elements added to it, Chapter 3 proceeds to give a multi dimensional approach to this topic while reflecting on the works of international organizations and attempts of the protection of women’s rights. The finishing chapter gives the conclusion and an in-depth reflection of the situation today. The work is based on the use of literature, documentaries, interviews and video materials as well as other sources that give statistical information about the events of the Bosnian war. Essentially, the thesis is complementary to the most important elements on sociological, political and migration studies level.