PRAGG – Proactive Citizens

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s governance system is highly complex and fragmented, and many citizens feel excluded from public decision-making. Although participation mechanisms exist, they are often underused and rarely lead to concrete change. CSOs are active, but their influence on policies is limited, and trust between citizens and institutions remains low. PRAGG responds by helping CSOs and citizens engage with institutions in a more structured, coordinated and results-oriented way.

Target Group

PRAGG primarily works with citizens, especially women, young people, persons with disabilities and other socially excluded groups, as well as with the civil society organisations that represent them. At the same time, the project engages local, cantonal, entity and state-level‑ authorities as key counterparts in democratic processes.

PRAGG – KEY RESULTS

PRAGG has contributed to strengthening civic space and democratic practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina by placing citizens and CSOs at the centre of change.

Key results include

• Greater citizen engagement in public affairs, with more than 200 civil society organisations and thousands of citizens actively involved in community dialogues, participatory activities and advocacy initiatives across 35+ local communities. Through local advocacy campaigns and media outreach, PRAGG-supported initiatives have positively affected the lives of more than 100,000 people.

• Stronger cooperation among civil society actors, demonstrated through the development of 20+ Strategies of Change and the establishment of 13 strategic partnerships that bring together organisations from multiple communities to advocate jointly on issues extending beyond the local level.

• Improved participation in formal decision-making processes, with CSOs supported through capacity building programe, events, Strategic Partnership Grants and tailored capacity building, enabling them to engage more effectively in consultations, policy dialogue and advocacy at all levels of governance.

• Strengthened advocacy and capacities of CSOs and citizen activists, strengthening their role as representatives of citizens’ interests and integrating gender equality and social inclusion, bridge-building, integrity and environmental responsibility into advocacy work.

• Creation of spaces for dialogue and trust building, through Annual Policy Forums, Civil Society Festivals and other PRAGG multistakeholder events that brought together citizens, CSOs, public authorities, media, academia and the private sector from across Bosnia and Herzegovina. These platforms enabled structured exchange and collective follow-up actions, including contributions to national-level decision-making processes—such as a joint follow-up letter submitted to the Council of Ministers after the Civil Society Assembly. Shortly thereafter, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the Strategy for Creating an Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development—the first strategy of its kind in the country.

• A systemic shift in the role of civil society, with PRAGG strategically investing in the capacity of civil society organizations, as key democratic actors, to mobilize citizens, advocate for change and hold institutions accountable.

Project website