Socijalno-statusni položaj braniteljki Armije Republike Bosne i Hercegovine

Abstract

The bilateral aggression perpetrated on the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina by its eastern and western neighbors produced the need for the defense of the state, its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Projected plans provided for the appropriation of territories, and alternatively the annexation of certain areas. Armed conflicts caused the commission of numerous war crimes, crimes against humanity and international law against the civilian population. In order to prevent the complete destruction of those who feel and perceive Bosnia and Herzegovina as their homeland, and the execution of genocide on the entire territory of the country, the bare-handed population self-organized. In the very beginnings, the organization was realized in the form of street guards armed with hunting rifles and/or personal pistols, which gradually grew into organizing at the local level, and by being integrated into the structure of the Territorial Defense of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which became the backbone of the creation of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Army represented the only official armed force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the goal of protecting the territorial integrity of the state, citizens, economic, cultural and other assets. In the ranks of the Army there were also 5,360 members of the fairer sex who showed enough courage to put themselves at their disposal in a personal capacity in the most difficult moments of the decisive defense of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state. Among them, special piety goes to the winners of the Golden Lily award - 13 of them. A special honor and respect goes to a special group of women - those who, then, at a time when many were hiding and looking for a way to leave not only the defense line but also the homeland, voluntarily joined the ranks of the Army in order to participate and contribute to the fight for survival, whether they found themselves in combat units on the front line, penetrating enemy lines as saboteurs, scouts, unit commanders, nurses, or engaged in logistical and affiliated units, unit commands. Some of them did not see their freedom. Where are the brave women defenders today? The answer to this question is the topic of the conducted empirical research presented in the titled text, which contains the results of the processes carried out so far in the construction of the culture of memory, as well as the positioning of female volunteers/defenders in legal norms. These are two crucial centers of gravity that position female volunteers/defenders in today's sociological reality.