Swedish Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Helena Lagerlöf, has condemned on behalf of Sweden the recent cases of verbal and physical harassment against female politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At a meeting on Tuesday, Ambassador Lagerlöf discussed the issue with representatives of the Lower House of the FBiH parliament, who directly reported the online insults, which also included physical attacks and death threats against them, to the ambassador.
“Violence, intimidation and harassment specifically targeting women elected representatives is unacceptable and must stop. It goes against the fundamental values of any healthy democracy,” Lagerlöf stressed.
She also noted that it was essential to systematically prevent all forms of violence and attacks against democratically elected women politicians.
Lagerlöf said disagreements and dissent are an essential part of almost any political debate, but it is unacceptable to allow a situation to escalate into harassment or attacks.
“Sweden wants to see more women on the political stage in Bosnia and Herzegovina because they represent the needs and perspectives of half of the population, making the political landscape more diverse and inclusive and the country’s future more sustainable. But to achieve this, we must first ensure their safety while they work in this business,” Lagerlöf concluded, according to a statement from the Swedish Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
