Maida Bilal is a Bosnian

environmental activist The environmental movement (sometimes referred to as the ecology movement) is a social movement that aims to protect the natural world from harmful environmental practices in order to create sustainable living. In its recognition of humanity a ...

known for leading a group of women in a 503-day blockade ending in December 2018. The group resisted the movement and placement of heavy equipment resulting in the cancellation of the construction of two

dams A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, ...

on the Kruščica river. This action helped to preserve and safeguard the Kruščica river, an important source of water and resources for the village of Kruščica and approximately 145,000 inhabitants of the two nearby towns, from being irreversibly damaged by the construction of the dams.

Early life and career

Bilal was born and raised in Kruščica, a village located in the mountains west of

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...

. She worked part-time in financial administration with no prior experience in environmental activism.

Activism

In 2017, Bilal co-founded the Eko Bistro citizens' association and became a volunteer board member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina River Coalition, which represents 30

environmental groups An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environme ...

from Bosnia and

Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia (reg ...

. The resistance put up by the group of women resulted in the cancellation, in December 2018, of construction of two proposed dams on the river. The Kruščica river is an essential resource for the Kruščica village and the nearby towns, and the construction of the dams would have had a significant and negative impact on the ecosystem and the local community. Bilal and the other protesters faced numerous challenges during the blockade, including

harassment Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behavior that demeans, humiliates, and intimidates a person, and it is characteristically identified by its unlikelihood in terms of social and ...

and intimidation from police and investors, as well as the harsh weather conditions. Despite these difficulties, they were successful in preventing the construction of the dams and raising awareness about the dangers of the dam boom in the region.

Awards and recognition

In recognition of her efforts, Bilal has received numerous awards and recognition. In 2018, she was named a "Champion of the Earth" by the

United Nations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the Declaration of the United Nati ...

, and in 2021, she received the

Goldman Environmental Prize The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize awarded annually to grassroots environmental activists. History Awardees are named from each of the world's six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, an ...

Other advocacy work

In addition to her work in environmental advocacy, Bilal has also been involved in other efforts to promote

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

and

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

. She has spoken out against discrimination and violence against women and has worked to raise awareness about the importance of

gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...

and

women's empowerment Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several method, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, equal status in society, ...

. Bilal has also been a vocal advocate for the rights of

marginalized Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. In the EU context, the Euro ...

and vulnerable groups, including minorities and refugees. She has brought attention to the struggles and challenges faced by these groups and has called for greater efforts to support and protect them.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bilal, Maida Climate activists Living people Goldman Environmental Prize awardees Bosnian people (region) 21st-century Bosnia and Herzegovina people 21st-century Bosnia and Herzegovina women Year of birth missing (living people)