BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted their third National Action Plan in 2017, for the period 2018-2022. The Balkan Defence Monitor for Bosnia and Herzegovina notes this expired in 2022 and that a new or updated NAP has not yet been developed. It goes on to say “However, the new Gender Action plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2023-2027 includes a chapter on Gender and Security, which states the goals to be achieved in the area by 2027. In addition, the key topics of the third local action plan on 1325 are mainstreamed in other strategic documents dealing with migration and asylum seeking, prevention of terrorism and control of small arms and light weapons.”
Objectives of the 2018 - 2022 NAP
The objectives in this National Action Plan are the same as in previous plans by Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, they have included revised medium-term objectives, anticipated outcomes, and planned activities.
The NAP has three overarching strategic objectives, each supported by several medium term objectives:
Strategic Objective 1: Increase the participation of women in military forces, police and peacekeeping missions, including participation in decision making positions.
Medium term objectives:
1.1 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;
1.2 Existence of prerequisites for improving the position and advancement of women in military forces, police, peacekeeping;
1.3 Raised awareness about the importance of women's participation in decision-making and maintaining peace and security.
Strategic Objective 2: Increase the level of human security from a gender equality perspective.
Medium term objectives:
2.1 Reduced rate of trafficking in human beings in BH;
2.2 Increased support and assistance to women and girls who endured sexual violence and other forms of suffering during the war;
2.3 Enhanced gender-responsible approach and support systems in conditions of present security threats and challenges.
Strategic Objective 3: Improve the conditions and access to the implementation of Action Plan UNSCR 1325.
Medium term objectives;
3.1 Improved coordination conditions and instruments for the implementation of AP UNSCR 1325;
3.2 Enhanced cooperation with other actors.
Commentary
This third NAP from Bosnia and Herzegovina built on previous versions, including a section focused on lessons learned from the implementation of the previous NAP. 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 were 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. 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.
The NAP states which agency is responsible for each objective and action, and a time range for its implementation. There is no specific budget applied to any action; the majority are to be sourced from “Competent authorities budget funds, donor funds”.
Civil Society involvement in development of the NAP
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 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.
UN Peacekeeping Statistics
As of August 2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina was contributing 27 UN peacekeeping personnel, all individual police officers, of which 6 were women.
Women in Peacekeeping
The 2018-2022 NAP explicitly mentions the participation of women in security forces, including as soldiers, police, and decision-makers, rather than just alluding to women’s participation in peace-building. They are focused on adjusting conditions to enable increased participation by women and highlight the need for continued training and implementation of gender equality standards. x
The Balkan Defence Monitor, writing in March 2024, states “There are 69 women appointed to leadership positions in the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces. The highest rank held by women in the Armed Forces of BiH is still that of Colonel. Nevertheless, two women and 36 men, who hold the rank of brigadier, are awaiting appointments to the rank of general.”
It seems, therefore, that some progress has been made since the first NAP, but that there is still a long way to go in the journey to equal gender representation.
References and Sources
Bosnia and Herzegovina National Action Plan 2018-2022 (English Translation):
National Action Plan UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION (gnwp.org)
Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (August 2024): 03-Contributions by Country and Mission
Balkan Defence Monitor for Bosnia and Herzegovina, March 2024 at women-bih-BDM24.pdf
