On November 4, 2022 International University Travnik (IUT) in Travnik held promotion of the first regional research on gender-based violence (GBV) in academic communities compiled into a book “The Challenges of Mainstreaming Gender Equality in University Communities: Fighting against Gender-Based Violence” edited by Zilka Spahić Šiljak, PhD, Jasna Kovačević, PhD and Jasmina Husanović, PhD. The promotion was attended by representatives of the academic community, the non-governmental sector, students and media houses. The research was carried out as part of the UNIGEM (University and Gender Mainstreaming) project, which is funded by the Government of the United Kingdom, implemented by the TPO Foundation from Sarajevo in partnership with the 19 universities from the region, and its results show that people in the academic community should be empowered to recognize GBV and to react when they recognize it.

The book was promoted by Enes Huseinagić, PhD, Dean of the Travnik Faculty of Economics; Selma Otuzbir-Mecan, MSc, Senior Assistant at the Travnik Faculty of Law and Lejla Skopljak, PhD.

Important research conclusions point out the fact that gender-based violence often occurs in combination with other types of violence, including mobbing, negative impact of GBV on the health, well-being and careers of women and men, as well as a phenomenon whose health and economic costs can be significantly reduced if it is prevented. Also, the lack of appropriate mechanisms that goes towards solving the problem of gender discrimination indicate the need for a systemic solution of these problems and necessary legal changes in BiH, Montenegro and Serbia that are important for the process of the European Union accession.

UNIGEM research is the result of extensive research endeavors in which the most modern multidisciplinary approach was used from methodological, sociological, psychological, cultural, theological, social, philosophical and other perspectives. The research included 4,754 respondents, teaching and administrative staff, as well as students of various scientific fields.

The book was published in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian languages and will be promoted at 18 partner institutions of the UNIGEM project until the end of December 2022.