Perspectives of children and young people from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on their role in challenging perceived social and gender norms impacting school related gender-based violence

Abstract

Child protection and safeguarding has historically tried to ‘save’ children from difficult or harmful circumstances and has often failed to recognise children’s agency or respect their participation rights. Given the particular socio-historical development of many South and Eastern European countries, the move to more transformative child protection and child safeguarding has been slow in moving away from the reliance on institutional care (Zouev & Unicef, 1999; Anghel, Herczog, Dima, 2013). This article introduces the methodology and empirical findings from an 8-country South and Eastern Europe research study focusing on Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These two post-communist countries share cultural and political history. The aim was to explore how social and gender norms impact school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) and the potential role of children in challenging these social norms. Out of this mixed methodology study, with a participatory qualitative approach, researchers used a variety of research instruments with groups of children (aged 13 to 18). This research connects with social norms theory based on Cislaghi and Heise's (2019) dynamic framework that explores social norms as an adaptation of the socio-ecological model (Bronfenbrenner, 1992).This article provides an overview of the overarching concept, methodology, and findings of the study with a particular focus on Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.Findings suggest that children and young people in these two countries witness various forms of violence, contributing to the normalisation of violence. Also, they recognised that if someone is “labelled” on various grounds, such as the socio-economic status of parents, behaviour, gender, nationality, culture, and ability, it is more likely that they will be a victim of violence. On a societal and institutional level, teachers and significant adults are not always perceived as trustworthy. Children pointed out that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in Croatia, institutions do not defend children's rights at the highest level. They find that the child protection system fails to be just and transparent and often acts on double standards depending on one family's status and influence, leaving vulnerable children at even more risk of being unprotected from different forms of violence.Strategies for prevention, support services and social change, especially for vulnerable children and young people, were identified for further implementation and follow-up research.