Sarajevo – A two-day regional workshop titled “From Policy to Practice: Strengthening Gender-Sensitive Border/Boundary Management to Combat Human Trafficking in the Western Balkans” took place on 28–29 April 2026 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing together representatives of Border Police and anti-trafficking authorities from all MARRI administrations, alongside international organizations, to work on translating gender-sensitive policies into concrete operational practices.
The workshop was organized by MARRI Regional Centre, under the Presidency-in-Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with support from the regional multi-donor project “EU Support to Strengthen the Fight against Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings in the Western Balkans” – EU4FAST (jointly funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – BMZ, the Italian Ministry of Interior and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), in cooperation with the Gender Equality Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, and the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was hosting the event.
The event was opened by the Deputy Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivica Bošnjak, MARRI RC Director Angela Boranieva, and EU4FAST Project Manager Oliver Janser.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Bošnjak underlined that integrating a gender perspective in border/boundary management is not only a matter of policy alignment but of operational effectiveness as well. He emphasized that strengthening gender-sensitive approaches contributes to building more resilient, professional and trusted institutions across the region, and highlighted the importance of regional cooperation through MARRI.
Director Boranieva emphasized the need to move from policy to practice, stressing that gender-sensitive approaches are essential for identifying vulnerabilities, protecting victims and ensuring more effective responses to trafficking in human beings. She reaffirmed MARRI’s commitment to supporting its Participants through capacity building, regional cooperation and practical, field-oriented solutions.
The keynote address by Samra Filipovic-Hadžiabdic, Director of the Agency for Gender Equality within the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, set the stage for further discussions.
A dedicated contribution to the development and implementation of the workshop was provided by Dr. Ankica Tomic, Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to MARRI RC and Special Adviser for Gender Equality, whose expertise and engagement were instrumental in shaping the concept and practical approach of the activity. In close cooperation with the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she contributed to ensuring that the workshop addressed both policy and operational dimensions of gender-sensitive border/boundary management and anti-trafficking responses. Additional expert contributions were provided by International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Women and Centre for Security Studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose presentations and inputs contributed to the exchange of regional perspectives, international standards and research findings.
Through interactive sessions, scenario-based exercises and peer exchange, the participants worked on integrating gender perspectives into border management procedures, developing gender-sensitive standard operating procedures and action plans, and shared good practices.
Building on recommendations from previous MARRI activities, this workshop marked another step in strengthening gender-responsive approaches to combating trafficking in human beings in the Western Balkan region.