Bosnia-Herzegovina

Like other countries in the Western Balkans, Bosnia and Herzegovina faces challenges in implementing citizen-oriented governance. Helvetas through its PRAGG project, will support Civil Society Organizations to represent the voice of citizens and demand reforms through participation in democratic processes, thus contributing to social change in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Capital

Sarajevo
Area

51,197 km²
UN DEVELOPMENT INDEX*

Rank: 74 out of 193
Population

3,531,159
People supported per year

1,000
Thematic focus

Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion
Education and Vocational Skills
Learning & Innovation
Gender & Social Equity
Urban Engagement

* Source: UN Data

Despite the economic development, there are many challenges facing the Western Balkans region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although, in the past decades the country improved the living standards for its citizens, BiH still remains fragmented. There is scarcity of formal jobs, and many do not generate enough income to escape poverty. Many groups, including young people, women, socially excluded, and people living in rural areas do not have equal access to economic opportunities and political voice.

Building social trust

This is why Helvetas supports efforts towards more invlusive and participatory decision making that would enable better and equal access to education, employment, social and healthcare services, and other opportunities for all citizens, and for women, young people, socially excluded pesons in particular. We focus our efforts not only on stimulating active involvement of citizens in decision making, but also on building bridges of cooperation with authorities, as well as sustainable networks among various civil society actors, including CSOs, academia, business sector, media, representatives of the dispora that would contribute to building social capital, and increasing social trust. Furthermore, we support various training programs for CSOs and non-formal groups on various topics relevant for organizational development of CSOs and successful campaigns led by citizens, CSOs or informal groups.

Supporting since the 90s

Helvetas has been active in Bosnia and Herzegovina for many years: from the late 1990s to 2005, we carried out projects to support local authorities in organizing and improving public services; since then, we have continued to provide this support through a newly-formed independent local organization.

Gender and Social Equity

Bosnia and Herzegovina faces many challenges in its economic, political and social spheres. This further aggravates the situation, which women and socially excluded people face daily. Although the inherited basic structures of a modern system of education, healthcare, and social services are still in place, the impact of the civil war in the 1990s, the economic transition as well as the external economic shocks, austerity policies, low growth, and rising inequality have left many segments of this system unable to deliver the equality of care and equal access for all. Together with our partners in the business community, politics and civil society, we seek to break down the existing barriers and lines of division and facilitate access to opportunities and services, especially for women, socially excluded groups, and youth.

Visit the website of Helvetas Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Panoramic view of Sarajevo © Helvetas

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Donji Vakuf, an area in central Bosnia and Herzegovina © Helvetas

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Our Projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina

If you would like to know more about our work in Bosnia and Herzegovina, click on each project for details.

Here you can find a link to our PRAGG project.