Planned Budget (Total)
Other resources (non-core)
Country Indexes
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BIH_D_1.1
By 2025, people contribute to, and benefit from more accountable and transparent governance systems that deliver quality public services, and ensure rule of law
Throughout the year, important progress was made towards achieving this outcome. Government institutions made progress in implementing gender-responsive policy making, budgeting and integration of EU gender equality and women’s empowerment commitments. Women politicians have made progress in being more empowered and participating fully in the country’s political life. This is evidenced by the results of the 2024 local elections, which show that women’s representation in local governments progressed. Women in municipal councils increased from 19.64% to 22.7%, while women mayors increased from 3.6% to 5.6%. These results are a result of multiple interventions in the areas of implementation of gender responsive programming and budgeting, national and international normative commitments and women’s political participation and leadership, while utilizing the coordination mandate and promoting accountability for the implementation of gender equality commitments. UN Women contributed to these changes through intensive advocacy and capacity-building work in the area of gender-responsive governance, particularly targeting women’s political participation, in BiH. This included capacity-building trainings for women candidates ahead of the local elections, developing networks of women politicians, strategic guidance and gender analyses, and advocating with key institutions to effectively contribute to these changes. When it comes to women's political participation, the European Delegation in BiH and the key government institutions in BiH, including gender institutional mechanisms and electoral management bodies partnered with UN Women to achieve these results. When it comes to gender-responsive budgeting, this included regional programs and exchanges, strategic guidance and gender analyses, local trainings, and advocating with key ministries and institutions to effectively contribute to these changes. This outcome represents the third condition for substantive equity identified in the office’s theory of change. The theory of change understands that, if relevant institutions have the necessary capacities which ensure gender-responsive analysis, planning, policy making, budgeting and integration of EU gender equality and women’s empowerment commitments across sectors, then governance will be more accountable and transparent, especially in a gender-transformative way. The results achieved under this outcome (increased women’s political participation in local government) contribute towards the necessary changes in social norms and relevant political actors outlined in the theory of change. We expect these changes to contribute to more accountable and transparent governance, thus the theory of change is still relevant.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BIH_D_2.1
By 2025, people benefit from resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth ensured by the convergence of economic development and management of environment and cultural resources
P rogress has been made towards achieving the outcome of fostering resilient, inclusive, and sustainable growth in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Several key institutions and initiatives have demonstrated notable improvements in performance and coordination, reflecting a positive shift in both institutional behavio u r and policy development. At the national level, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy successfully integrated family-friendly policies and gender-responsive workplace provisions within the Law on Social Services and the draft Labor Law with inputs from UN Women. . This legal reform marks a critical step in enhancing gender inclusivity and strengthening social protection systems, ensuring that gender equality is embedded in future workplace and policy reforms. The expected passage of this law will provide a solid foundation for more inclusive labo u r markets and gender-sensitive social protections. At the local level, significant strides were made in Canton Sarajevo, where the Map of rights and services for persons with disabilities and the elderly was successfully developed with the support of UN Women and piloted. This initiative improve s public awareness and accessibility to critical rights and services, particularly for marginalized groups. The successful implementation of this model provides a replicable framework for other regions to follow . The Municipality Center made substantial progress by enhancing parental leave policies, including introducing financial incentives for fathers. This policy shift reflects a broader cultural change toward shared caregiving responsibilities and gender equality at the local governance level, further promoting gender-inclusive policies in BiH. UN Women contributed to this resu l t through providing technical support for the revision of the policies. Overall, these efforts have contributed significantly to creating more inclusive, equitable, and gender-sensitive systems at both the national and local levels. With these foundational changes in place, BiH is poised to achieve more sustainable and resilient growth that aligns with both economic development and environmental management.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BIH_D_3.3
By 2025, people have access to better quality and inclusive health and social protection systems
ignificant progress has been made this year toward achieving the outcome . Institutions and individuals demonstrated both behavioral and performance changes, reflecting improved capacities and coordination despite some delays in the start of the new ending violence against women ( EVAW) program me . In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), institutional performance improved as the Ministry of Justice, supported by UN Women and international experts, undertook a comprehensive revision of the legal framework for protection against domestic violence and violence against women. This led to the submission of two key legislative proposals to the FBiH Government, marking a critical step toward strengthening legal protections. These proposals are expected to reach the FBiH Parliament’s agenda in January, signaling enhanced institutional commitment to addressing gender-based violence. In contrast, progress in Republika Srpska (RS) was hindered by resistance from the anti-gender movement, which obstructed legislative reforms despite strong advocacy from civil society and UN Women. This resistance highlighted an urgent need to intensify advocacy and legal reform efforts to close critical gaps in protections for women. At the community level, behavioral changes were evident as thousands of young people actively participated in GBV prevention campaigns, including the 16 Days of Activism. Through educational activities, panel discussions, and interactive events, youth engaged with their communities, raising awareness and fostering a culture of zero tolerance for violence. Multisectoral teams and community bodies enhanced their performance by adopting joint procedures for coordinated responses to GBV cases. These improved response mechanisms have resulted in faster and more effective interventions, reflecting better inter-sectoral collaboration. Outreach initiatives targeting marginalized communities, particularly Roma populations, demonstrated both behavioral and systemic changes. Through culturally sensitive programs and partnerships with Roma community leaders, efforts to raise awareness about GBV and empower Roma women and girls to access support services have significantly improved inclusion and addressed specific challenges faced by these communities. Engagement of men and boys in GBV prevention has gained traction through targeted campaigns that challenge traditional gender norms and promote equal participation. This shift in attitudes has contributed to a collective community effort to prevent violence and promote gender equality. While these achievements signify notable progress, the delayed start of the new EVAW program meant that some planned activities could not be implemented. Continued efforts are required to address the remaining gaps, sustain momentum, and fully realize the planned outcomes, particularly in legal reform and scaling up interventions across all sectors.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BIH_D_4.1
By 2025, there is stronger mutual understanding, respect and trust among individuals and communities
S ignificant progress was made in advancing the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda . 580 representatives of g overnment institutions, civil society organizations, and communities enhanced their capacities to implement gender-responsive policies and practices, contributing to gender equality and human security at national and local levels : Policymakers, practitioners, and communities now have access to critical research and evidence, enabling the embedding of WPS priorities in localized gender action plans and reinforcing sustainable funding and institutional coordination, while the BiH Agency for Gender Equality and the Coordination Board for UNSCR 1325 have improved their capacities and monitoring mechanisms, fostering better coordination between civil society organizations and government entities. In parallel, women’s and women-led CSOs have strengthened their organizational capacities, revitalizing the WPS network, promoting collaboration, and emphasizing women's leadership in addressing local challenges. The young audience of the Sarajevo Film Festival has increased their understanding of feminism, gender equality, and human security, inspiring advocacy for human rights, while young female filmmakers have gained recognition, mentorship, and financial support, promoting women's roles in film and television production, and public awareness of women’s contributions to sustaining peace has expanded through campaigns like the “12 Days of Activism for Peace,” reinforcing positive narratives and promoting gender equality. BiH perspectives on advancing UNSCR 1325 have strategically gained international exposure through participation in global events, facilitating the exchange of best practices and technical expertise. These efforts have further positioned women as central to peacebuilding narratives and actions, highlighting the strategic importance of implemented initiatives. These outcome-level changes have positioned the mentioned partners to contribute more effectively to the WPS agenda, advancing gender equality and human security. The activities have been positively evaluated, increasing buy-in and laying a solid foundation for continued implementation in the upcoming year.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-BIH_O_1
Enhanced coordination, coherence and accountability of the UN system for commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment
During the year, UN Women effectively worked with the Resident Coordinator and 16 other UN entities in the UN country team to strategically address gender-based inequalities. UN Women led the Gender Theme Group (GTG) and actively engaging in joint results groups and joint programmes, including the establishment of a new UN Gender Equality Accelerator initiative leveraging the expertise and mandate of UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNDP to advance system-level change towards gender equality and women's rights. UN Agencies further demonstrated their leadership by directly participated in the SWAP Annual Progress report as part of the Gender Theme Group, assessing indicators and finalizing new tools to advance UN system progress on gender equality including a UNCT Gender Induction Package, UNCT Screening Tool for Joint Programmes and a new Gender Parity Strategy. Increased leadership of UN Agencies is results of diligent investment of UN Women into coordination portfolio, as part of long-term desired impact to guide and advance programmes and policies of UN system and ensure accountability to gender equality and women’s empowerment. The UNCT Gender Theme Group is guided by the UN Women coordination portfolio with provision of technical expertise and consultations.Showing 1 - 5 of 8