Women Refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina: Developing a Culturally Sensitive Counselling Framework

Abstract

This paper derives from work undertaken by the Research Resource Division for Refugees of Carleton University, Ottawa, in conjunction with the Ottawa Bosnian community, to assess the needs of Bosnian refugees in order to suggest guidelines and make recommendations for the development of a culturally and gender sensitive remedial programme. The assessment consisted of six parts: a cultural profile of Bosnian Muslims (to be published in the next issue of the IJRL ); a review of the conflict in Bosnia; consultation with the Ottawa Bosnia-Herzegovina Medical Relief Fund and Information Centre; an information session with Bosnian women refugees in Ottawa; a review of assistance programmes for women refugees from Bosnia; and a review of existing literature and related materials dealing with women's counselling and assistance programmes. A general intervention framework is proposed, in two phases. The first deals with general issues concerning orientation and information regarding Bosnian Muslims. The second offers more specific information relative to treatment techniques for survivors of sexual violence. Within this framework, suggestions are made for an overall specialized counselling approach. A number of recommendations follow, focusing on the actual and prospective needs of Bosnian women resettled in Canada