– I was fifteen when I understood that I was born out of hate, not love, says Ajna (31).
A teacher in secondary school asked her about her father’s name.
– I said I didn’t know my father’s name, and my classmates started laughing. In Bosnia, your father's name is your identity. That’s when I started digging for answers, she explains.
Ajna leads The Forgotten Children of War Association, a Bosnian organisation that gathers children born from sexual violence – across ethnicities in a polarised society.
Brave voices
Ajna, Alen, and Lejla will receive UiO's Human Rights Award on 5 December during Oslo Peace Days. The award is a recognition of their personal efforts and strong commitment to ensuring that war children are seen and heard.
Despite being a particularly vulnerable group, they have no special protection or rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The award committee emphasises that the winners contribute to a better understanding of the unique challenges war children encounter.
“The Forgotten Children of War Association (Zaboravljena djeca rata) and their brave spokespersons can contribute to much needed research and knowledge development which is of great importance for improving response mechanisms for war children internationally. In a world with numerous ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, and Sahel, these young people’s voices are more important than ever.”, concludes the award committee.
Dignity
Ajna was born in a crisis reception center following her mother's war rape. She grew up in Bosnia and helped to establish The Forgotten Children of War Association. At 15, she learned about her own background. Since then, she has trained as a psychologist and has shared her story countless times to address the vulnerable situation of war children as children of an agressor. Such children often face taboos and indifference.
– We gather children born out of sexual violence and rape during the war in Bosnia. As an association we are a mirror of war and a mirror of peace. We gather children from all the ethnic backgrounds. We work for the dignity of our mothers and ourselves, and I will not stop before I accomplish that aim,” says Ajna.
Polarization and hatred
The Bosnian War took place in the aftermath of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Different ethnic groups fought against each other, and the war constituted the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. Sexual violence as a weapon of war was widespread.
– When I found out that we had won the award, I cried. For so long, you really push, you push hard, you talk about your story, you talk about who you are and these things generate a lot of emotion within you. The conversation you are having publicly can have an impact on others that may feel alone and isolated, says Lejla (31).
Soon after her birth, Lejla was adopted by a British journalist couple, and she has grown up in the United Kingdom. Today, she is a fearless spokesperson for the organisation and for the situation of war children in Bosnia and internationally.
First and foremost a father
Alen was born at a hospital in Gora?de, Bosnia, after his mother was raped. She abandoned him, but Alen was adopted by the hospital’s janitor. Today he works at the same hospital as a nurse.
– To some, I am a nurse. To some, I am a child born during the war as a result of rape. But mainly, I am a person who wakes up in the morning and has to raise two children,” says Alen (31).
He was the first war child to publicly share his story in Bosnia. Together with Ajna, Lejla, and the rest of the organisation, he works for the rights of children with a similar background.
International repercussions
The Forgotten Children of War Association believes war children should have the same rights as other children – rather than being perceived as an enemy within the family or society. They seek to change the laws that require the father's name to obtain various rights. The lack of a official birth certificate also creates obstacles for some.
Read more on the organisation's website
The three award winners use various means to get their message across. The organisation has put on theater performances, exhibitions and campaigned for changes to legislation. Ajna and her colleagues have pushed for war children to get legal recognition on par with other civilian war victims, regardless of the father. They have achieved this in the Br?ko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such a legal framework can be transferred to other countries and provide hope for recognition and rights to children born of current wars.
– We started telling our stories and suddenly realized that we are speaking for children like us all over the world, says Ajna.
On 5 december, you can meet Ajna, Alen, and Lejla as they receive the award during Oslo Peace Days.
UiO's Human Rights Award
The University of Oslo Human Rights Award – Lisl and Leo Eitinger's Fund is given in recognition of great personal effort and active involvement towards furthering human rights.
Since its inception in 1984, it has been given to worthy winners from all across the world.
Read more about the award