BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Bosnia’s latest NAP was launched in 2018 with a four-year tenure until 2022.
Objectives:
1. Increased participation of women in military forces, police and peacekeeping missions, including participation in:
- Key policies, legislation and other regulations enable the increased participation of women in military forces, police and peacekeeping missions, including participation in decision-making positions,
- Creation of prerequisites for the improvement of position and advancement of women in military forces, police, peacekeeping missions including decision-making positions,
- Raised awareness about the importance of women's participation in decision-making and maintaining peace and security.
2. Increased level of human security from gender equality perspective:
- Reduced human trafficking rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Increased support and help to victims who endured sexual violence and other forms of wartime suffering
- Enhanced gender-responsible approach and support systems in conditions of ongoing security threats and challenges.
3. Improved conditions and access to the implementation of UNSCR 1325:
- Improved coordination mechanisms and instruments for the implementation of AP UNSCR 1325
- Enhanced cooperation with other actors.
Commentary:
The Bosnia Herzegovina NAP is now in its third iteration, published in 2017 and building off of the 2010 and 2013 NAPs. It is rooted in the institutional memory of these previous plans, and therefore begins with a detailed section on the relative successes and failures of the past plans. It is rooted in statistics about women’s participation in different sectors of government and security, as well as ongoing peace-building efforts. Further, the objectives are written with medium-term goals, a recognition that this plan sits in the middle of a longer process of implementing the WPS agenda. This means that the goals are modest, but also that they appear to be more immediately attainable. A promising aspect of this NAP is its explicit mention of women in security forces, including as soldiers, police, and decision-makers, rather than merely alluding to women’s participation in peace-building. Another strength is the plan’s recognition of its unique post-conflict context, including the ongoing need to address wartime violence and the relatively high level of human trafficking.
Civil Society:
Consultation with civil society is improving in each iteration of the NAP; the introduction to the 2017 version details how more and more organizations are being included in the drafting and consultation process. However, the LSE WPS Centre still ranks the civil society consultation process as being very weak. Further, the third pillar of the Plan calling for cooperation with civil society lacks detail, and it seems aimed at government cooperation with international organizations rather than coordination with domestic civil society.
Peacekeeping statistics:
As of September 2021, 17 Bosnian peacekeepers were deployed worldwide, of which 3 were women.
References:
https://www.wpsnaps.org/nap/bosnia-and-herzegovina-national-action-plan-iii/
