Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in south-eastern Europe with a population of around 3.27 million, whose society remains shaped to this day by the consequences of the war of the 1990s. The political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was highly unstable in 2025. Since 1995, the country has been divided into three parts: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska and the Brčko District. The criminal conviction and removal from office of the President of the Republika Srpska exacerbated the already deep social polarisation.
In February 2025, the Republika Srpska passed a law classifying civil society organisations as ‘foreign agents’. The Constitutional Court overturned it in May 2025, but the intimidating effect was already being felt – particularly for organisations campaigning for women’s rights and equality. Women activists working to prevent femicide and domestic violence were subjected to threats and targeted smear campaigns. Furthermore, the widespread withdrawal of US development aid from the area of gender equality shook the civil society sector: many organisations were suddenly faced with staff cuts and the loss of services on which vulnerable women depended.
Gender-based violence remains a serious social problem. A first-of-its-kind study by UNFPA and UN Women found that one in two women in BiH has experienced at least one form of violence since the age of 15. In 2024, one woman was killed by GBV every month; over 35 women lost their lives in two years.
Under pressure from civil society – in particular the ‘We Will Not Die in Silence’ campaign – Parliament voted in May 2025 to amend the Criminal Code, recognising femicide as a distinct crime for the first time. The second chamber followed suit in June 2025. The legislative amendment has not yet been finally adopted, but represents a historic step forward towards which IAMANEH’s civil society partners have been working for years. The prospect of EU accession provides an important framework for reform: in September 2025, BiH submitted its reform agenda, which includes specific requirements regarding gender equality legislation.
Despite political stagnation and ethnic fragmentation, women’s organisations remain a driving force for peace, inter-ethnic dialogue and reconciliation.
Capital: Sarajevo / approx. 346,000 inhabitants
Population: 3.27 million (2024)
Population growth: −0.37 per cent per year
Urban population: 50.3 per cent
Life expectancy: 78.0 years
Infant mortality: 4.9 per 1,000 live births
Maternal mortality: 6 per 100,000 births
Fertility rate: 1.2 births per woman
Unemployment rate: 15.22%
Youth unemployment: 32.9%
Femicide: 12 cases in 2024 (UNODC / UNICEF BiH 2025)
Prevalence of gender-based violence: One in two women has experienced some form of violence since the age of 15 (UN Women BiH)
Our programs are supported by core contributions from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
