Editorial Abstract: Domestic violence against women and children is a real threat to the quality of life of many around the world. This problem is certainly present in Bosnia and Herzegovina although it is seldom shown on the television screens and in the columns of newsprint where public opinion is manufactured on a daily basis. By placing domestic violence into the context of the phenomenon of structural violence made popular by theorists of the 1970s, Azra Smailkadić Brkić analyses the ways that nongovernmental organisations in BiH have contributed to solving this problem. Inevitably, this analysis brings to light the fact that, despite clear international obligations, the state and its institutions on various levels have not undertaken appropriate measures and activities for seriously confronting the causes and effects of domestic violence in an organised way.
Introduction
Violence manifests itself in many different ways among which poverty, hunger, intolerance, discrimination, chauvinism, fascism, racism and genocide are particularly emphasized.
Violence can be defined as a situation in which the life expectancy of an individual, group or group of individuals within a state, region or in the world is significantly shorter and/or of lower quality in comparison to others. Therefore, violence is an endangerment or shortening of the life of a human being. Different manifestations of this phenomenon include not only physical, structural, psychological or cultural violence but also bad state management, organized crime and illegal activities.
