Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit: UNFPA
By Cecilia Russell
SARAJEVO & JOHANNESBURG, May 30 2025 – Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives) and Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke to IPS ahead of the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The study visit program arranged for members of the AFPPD group as well as for parliamentarians from Eastern Europe, held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo, gives lawmakers from the region and abroad the opportunity to participate in an event where they can exchange experiences and learn from each other.
“The main objectives of this important gathering are deeply connected to our shared vision of fostering genuine equality and empowering women at every level of society,” explains Riđić. “It is an opportunity to build stronger collaborations between parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and experts, creating synergies and mutual understanding essential for sustainable progress. By connecting gender equality to broader issues of population dynamics and sustainable development, we emphasize the holistic approach needed to achieve lasting impact.”
Here are edited responses from MPs Pekić and Prlić and UNFPA’s Riđić.
IPS: What are the main objectives of the Parliamentarians’ conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, and Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives).
Pekić and Prlić: The main objectives of the Parliamentarians’ conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina are, first, to have the opportunity for the MPs to come here and meet the people during the study tour on gender equality and women’s empowerment. MPs will meet representatives from all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from state to local levels of government and Parliaments, as well as agencies and committees, UNFPA, and media. All of this couldn’t be possible without the local office of UNFPA, which worked hard in past months to organize this study tour.
Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Riđić: As a woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina currently working with UNFPA, I see the Parliamentarians’ efforts on gender equality and women’s empowerment as a powerful platform to drive meaningful change in our region. The main objectives of this important gathering are deeply connected to our shared vision of fostering genuine equality and empowering women at every level of society. Through facilitating rich exchanges of experiences and peer learning among parliamentarians from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), we aim not only to showcase Bosnia and Herzegovina’s robust legal and institutional frameworks but also to learn from each other’s successes and challenges. Bosnian and Herzegovinian Members of Parliament have already benefited immensely from the collaborative efforts with the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), enhancing their knowledge and strengthening their resolve to champion gender-responsive policies. This conference further reinforces their capacity to design and implement initiatives that genuinely reflect and address the realities women face every day.
Moreover, it is an opportunity to build stronger collaborations between parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and experts, creating synergies and mutual understanding essential for sustainable progress. By connecting gender equality to broader issues of population dynamics and sustainable development, we emphasize the holistic approach needed to achieve lasting impact.
Personally, this conference represents a significant step forward in our collective journey towards true equality, highlighting the critical role parliamentarians play in transforming legislative visions into concrete actions that empower women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the EECA region.
IPS: What are the challenges and successes regarding women’s representation in parliament and in other spheres of government?
Pekić and Prlić: There was a study regarding challenges that women are facing as politicians, done by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy a couple of years ago, and the focus was on violence against women in politics. The study revealed the primary reasons women are reluctant to enter politics and why those who have been successful in the field have chosen to leave. Violence against women in politics commonly takes the form of emotional and verbal abuse; the perception is that violence is the cost of doing politics, and often a reason why women don’t do politics, or they leave politics. The Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013 raised the mandatory quota for women on candidate lists to 40 percent.
It is important to have affordable and accessible social services, including childcare, in order for women to participate fully in the economy. While legislation may have been passed, budgets often fall behind. How are parliamentarians working toward ensuring that both the legislation and budgets work in harmony so that women can fully participate in the workplace?
Riđić: Bosnia and Herzegovina has made notable strides in advancing gender equality, particularly through the adoption of strong legal frameworks such as the Gender Equality Law and the Election Law’s Gender Quota. These measures signal a commitment to increasing women’s representation in parliament and other spheres of government.
However, the gap between policy and practice remains a major challenge. Despite progressive legislation, systemic barriers continue to limit women’s full participation in decision-making roles. Entrenched gender and social norms still define leadership as predominantly male, discouraging women from stepping into public and political life. On top of that, the heavy load of unpaid care work borne by women restricts their ability to invest time and energy into political careers or high-responsibility positions.
There is also a critical need to create more pathways for women to grow into leadership roles.
Structured training programmes, peer support, and mentorship initiatives can make a real difference in equipping women to navigate institutional hurdles and thrive in political and public arenas.
The study tour offers an opportunity to reflect on both the progress and the setbacks. It allows us to share how Bosnia and Herzegovina is addressing these issues—what has worked, where we’ve fallen short, and what more needs to be done to ensure that our governance systems truly reflect the diversity and potential of our society.
Riđić: In Bosnia and Herzegovina, where more than half a million women are outside the labor market, the economic consequences are significant. With a population of just over three million, the scale of this untapped potential is alarming. That’s why we are not only looking at legislation but also at how to build political will for gender-responsive budgeting.
Importantly, we recognize that such work cannot be done by the public sector alone. We are also working to strengthen dialogue with the private sector, helping businesses understand the return on investment in human capital when they support inclusive and family-oriented work environments. Learning from Central Asian experiences is another key pillar of this tour, helping us apply practical and proven models in our context.
Ensuring that legislation and budgets work in harmony is at the heart of what we are exploring during the Parliamentarians’ study tour in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While our country has adopted key laws supporting gender equality and family-friendly policies, the reality is that without dedicated and sustained budget allocations, these policies often remain aspirational.
Parliamentarians are now increasingly aware of the need to bridge this implementation gap.
Through the support of partners like UNFPA and AFPPD, they are engaging in cross-country dialogue and peer learning to understand how to advocate more effectively for budget lines that support affordable childcare and other essential social services. Evidence from UNFPA’s unpaid care work studies, labor market projections, and gender equality programming underscores that without these services, women’s participation in the workforce will remain limited.
IPS: How are parliamentarians working toward ensuring that both the legislation and budgets work in harmony so that women can fully participate in the workplace?
Pekić: Making a law and passing it in the Parliament is just the beginning of a solution for certain issues in society, as you said in your question; law enforcement depends on the executive part of the system and budget, of course. That is why, personally, when proposing some of the laws and solutions, I consult the executive branch as well as the NGOs that closely work on those questions.
For example, in Sarajevo Canton, we have devoted a lot of attention to programmes and measures aimed at empowering families, with a special focus on childcare—from subsidies for kindergartens and extended school stays to maternity allowance for women during maternity leave lasting 12 months. All of these are measures that require significant financial resources, but with careful prioritization and planning of financial flows, their implementation is possible and sustainable.
IPS: Could you elaborate on any projects enabling young women’s entry into both the workplace and spheres of government? How have parliamentarians been supporting these projects?
Pekić: As a Member of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am deeply committed to advancing initiatives that empower young women to enter both the workforce and spheres of government.
Here, I would especially highlight employment programs by the government for young people and women through co-financing employment or starting their own businesses, as well as programs such as employment and education of the women who left the safe house—women who were victims of the violence. And when it comes to programmes empowering women to enter spheres of government, non-governmental organizations play an important role by providing numerous mentorship and education programs.
Riđić: When we speak about enabling young women to enter the workforce and public life, we must begin with a broader picture because true empowerment doesn’t start at the job interview or ballot box. It starts much earlier, through inclusive education, health services, community belonging, and opportunity.
That’s why UNFPA, in partnership with parliamentarians, supports a range of initiatives that build foundations for young women to succeed. Through our youth empowerment programmes, social cohesion and peacebuilding efforts, and intergenerational dialogue initiatives, we are helping to create safer, more inclusive communities where young women can envision—and claim—their place in the public and professional spheres.
Innovative digital tools and platforms have been developed to amplify young people’s voices in local communities and support their engagement in decision-making processes. These tools encourage civic participation and nurture leadership skills from an early age. Our work also extends to strengthening the social and healthcare systems. Initiatives promoting HPV vaccination and healthy lifestyle education in primary schools are not only improving health outcomes: they are teaching girls to value their bodies, understand their rights, and grow with confidence. Programmes focused on social protection and rural outreach have helped ensure that young women from marginalized communities, including Roma, women with disabilities, and those from remote areas, have the support they need to pursue education and employment opportunities.
While these may not always appear as direct employment interventions, they are essential building blocks. Without systems that ensure dignity, inclusion, and safety, meaningful and sustained participation in the economy or politics remains out of reach. UNFPA’s demographic work and policy advocacy are deeply rooted in identifying and scaling measures that support sustainable solutions.
MPs and delegates walk through Sarajevo on their Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit: Delegates in session during the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo. Credit: UNFPA
IPS: Could you elaborate on one or more specific projects that address gender-based violence? How have parliamentarians been supporting these projects?
Prlić: Recently we adopted in the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina a new law with the main goal of protecting women and families against violence, and very soon we are expecting to adopt the new changes to the Criminal Law, which will be harmonized with the mentioned law previously adopted, as well as with the Istanbul Convention, The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which is the first instrument in Europe to set legally binding standards specifically to prevent gender-based violence, protect victims of violence and punish perpetrators.
By adopting these two laws, there is a legal framework set to criminalize some of the acts that were not in the past, as well as give more tools to the police, judiciary, and medical workers to protect victims and punish perpetrators to make society safer and to make women safer in their homes.
Delegates in session during the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo. Credit: UNFPA
Riđić: Addressing gender-based violence (GBV) remains a core priority for UNFPA and a central theme in our cooperation with parliamentarians. The study tour will include discussions on national and regional projects aimed at preventing GBV and providing support for survivors. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the work involves tackling both traditional forms of violence and emerging challenges like technology-facilitated abuse.
Parliamentarians have played a critical role in advancing legislative reforms and supporting institutional responses. Notably, they have been instrumental in the development of a legislative roadmap on protection from digital violence, a growing concern in today’s digital world. UNFPA’s “bodyright” campaign has contributed to public discourse and legal advocacy in this area.
Investment in healthcare services to support GBV survivors has been secured under the framework of the Istanbul Convention, with parliamentarians helping to ensure these commitments are reflected in national budgets. Equally important has been our collaborative work with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and programs addressing perpetrators as part of a comprehensive approach to justice, healing, and prevention.
These efforts show that fighting GBV is not limited to reactive responses but requires long-term, structural engagement, and that’s why sustained parliamentary support is vital for ensuring that every law, budget, and service reflects the dignity and rights of women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond.
Note: The Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina is organized by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Japan Trust Fund (JTF).
IPS UN Bureau Report
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