Background and political system
With a population of 3.5 million people, Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in Southeastern Europe bordering Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia on 1st March 1992. The country’s first multiparty elections were held in 1990 while Bosnia and Herzegovina was still part of former Yugoslavia.
The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted in 1995 and subsequently amended, provides the framework for the country's governance. The Constitution establishes a multi-ethnic system of government with an asymmetrical and complex governance structure. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a parliamentary republic divided into two Entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska, and governs via central, entity, cantonal and local government structures.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s government consists of the Executive and Legislative branches, complemented by the Judicial branch. The central government is led by the Presidency, which acts as Head of State. The Presidency is a three-member body, consisting of one Bosniak and one Croat elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and one Serb elected from the Republika Srpska. The Chairperson of the Council of Ministers is the Head of Government and is appointed by the three-member Presidency. This nomination is approved by the House of Representatives in the Legislative Assembly.
The Legislative Assembly, called the Skupstina, is a bicameral Parliamentary Assembly. It consists of the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (upper house) and the House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (lower house).
The judicial branch hosts the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitutional Court, which consists of nine members, and the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which consists of 44 national judges and seven international judges, in addition to subordinate courts.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment
Women’s right to vote and to stand for election was first ensured in the country in 1949, while Bosnia and Herzegovina was still part of former Yugoslavia.
As regards gender equality and women’s empowerment, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has improved, with a rank of 78th, an increase from its 2023 ranking of 86th, although down from its 2022 ranking of 73th. Challenges are still relevant in the areas of economic and political empowerment. After a relevant increase in 2020 and 2021, women’s representation in parliament has now reached its lowest point since 2010, while there are significant gender gaps in the labour force: men constitute 61 percent, while women make up only 39 percent, resulting in a 22 percent gap.
Recent data from the Gender Equality Barometer confirms that career choices women make are often directly dependent on the quality of the care offer. Underdeveloped, inefficient, and unaffordable social services restrict women's career opportunities and diminish their agency in political and public life. Combined with the persistence of traditional norms, the limited availability and high cost of these services continue to place the majority of the care burden on women. This not only challenges the equal sharing of domestic work but also hinders women's ability to pursue meaningful and equally compensated employment outside the home.
Structure of parliament
The Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of the House of Representatives (lower house), and the House of Peoples (upper house). The House of Representatives is composed of 42 seats, of which 28 are allocated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 to the Republika Srpska. The House of Peoples is made up of 15 members, of which 10 are from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (five Croat and five Bosniak) and five are from the Republika Srpska (all Serb). Members of the House of Representatives are directly elected by proportional representation vote, while members of the House of Peoples are designated by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly. Members of both parliamentary houses serve four-year terms. The Parliament is responsible for enforcing legislative initiatives, approving the Cabinet and supervising the work of the Government.
Quotas
The electoral code adopted in 2001, as amended through 2024, establishes that the equal representation of the genders shall exist in the case when one of the genders is represented with minimum of 40 percent of the total number of candidates on the list.
Women's representation in parliament
As of July 2024, the House of Representatives has ten women members, representing 23.8 percent, while in the upper house there are two women, representing 13.3 percent of total members. The Secretary General of the House of Peoples, Gordana Zivkovic, and the youngest member of the House of Representatives, Sanja Vulic, are women. The next elections will be held in 2026.
Forecast based on past trends
If changes continue at the current pace, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the average rate of improvement from 1995 to 2023 and projecting it into the future.
Forecast based on recent trends
If changes registered in the past five years continue, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the average rate of change in the past five years and projecting it into the future.
Best case forecast
If the situation improves similarly to the country performing best in the region, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the rate of improvement from the country performing best in the region and accelerating the change with this amount over five years and then keeping it constant.
Worst case forecast
If the situation deteriorates similarly to the country registering the worst drop in the region, this is how women's representation in parliament will look like by 2030.
We calculated this forecast by taking the drop rate in the country performing worst in the region and deteriorating the situation with this amount over five years and then keeping it constant.
Women chairpersons of parliament committees
The House of Representatives has seven specialized Committees on the topics of Constitutional and Legal Affairs; Foreign Affairs; Foreign Trade; Finance and Budget; Transport and Communications; Gender Equality; and the Committee for Preparation of the Election of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of July 2024, women are the chairpersons of the Committee on Finance and Budget of the House of Representatives (Mia Karamehic-Abazovic), and the Foreign Affairs Committee (Darijana Filipovic).
The House of Peoples has three specialized Committees on the topics of Constitutional and Legal Affairs; Foreign and Trade Policy, Customs, Transportation and Communications; and Finance and Budget. As of July 2024, women are the current chairpersons of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee (Marina Pendes), and the Finance and Budget Committee (Snjezana Novakovic-Bursac).
The Parliamentary Assembly has six Joint Committees, covering the topics of Defense and Security; Supervision of the Work of Intelligence and Security; Economic Reforms and Development; European Integration; Administrative Affairs; Human Rights. As of July 2024, Ermina Salkicevic-Dizdarevic is the Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Economic Reforms and Development.
Structure of government
Central government
The three members of the Presidency are directly elected and act as an unsubdivided body as Head of State. A rotational system is in place, and each member acts as Chairperson twice for a duration of eight months each time. The candidate receiving the majority of votes overall is the first to take on the role. They are responsible for the budgets of state institutions, as well as foreign, military and diplomatic affairs. The Presidency also appoints a multiethnic Council of Ministers. The Council comprises nine ministers and a Chairperson: two-thirds of ministers are appointed from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while one third is appointed from the Republika Srpska. The Chair of the Council of Ministers is the Head of Government, is appointed by the Presidency and approved by the House of Representatives. The Council of Ministers is responsible for carrying out the policies and decisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and reporting to the Parliamentary Assembly.
The current three members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina are Denis Becirovic (currently the Chairperson), Zeljko Komsic and Zeljka Cvijanovic. They have been in power since October 2022. In 2013, Zeljka Cvijanovic was elected as the Prime Minister of the Republika Srpska, becoming the first woman to hold this position. Five years later, she was elected as the President of the Republika Srpska, while in 2022 she became the first woman member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The current Chairperson of the Council of Ministers is Borjana Kristo, the first woman to be nominated to this position. Kristo has been in power since December 2022, and is one of the only two women currently in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with Dubravka Bosnjak, Minister of Civil Affairs.
Ministers or Cabinet Members
Borjana Kristo
Chairperson of the Council of Ministers
Dubravka Bosniak
Minister of Civil Affairs
The entity of Republika Srpska
The legislative body of the Republika Srpska consists in the Assembly, which is a unicameral parliament, composed of 83 members, directly elected by voters of the Republika Srpska. Results of latest elections show that women represent 26.5 percent of members (22 out of 83) of the Assembly of the Republika Srpska.
The executive body of the Government of the Republika Srpska consists of a President and a Government composed of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and ministers. The Prime Minister is proposed by the President of the Republika Srpska, while ministers are proposed by the Prime Minister. All positions within the Government are approved by the majority of the Assembly.
The judicial branch of the Republika Srpska consists of a supreme court, five district courts, and a number of municipal courts.
The entity of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The legislative body of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists in two chambers, the House of Representatives (lower house), composed of 98 members elected by proportional representation vote, and the House of Peoples (upper chamber), composed of 80 members elected by cantonal assemblies with respect to ethnic group representation. Results of latest elections show that women represent 26 percent of members of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The executive body of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of a President and two Vice-Presidents, and a Government composed of a Prime Minister and 16 Ministers, appointed by the President with the approval of the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The judicial branch of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of 10 cantonal courts, and a number of municipal courts.
Cantons
Cantons are the 10 federal units constituting the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and have their own constitutions, parliaments, governments and judicial powers.
Cantons’ legislative bodies consist in a cantonal assembly, whose members are directly elected by voters. Results from latest elections show that 289 representatives were elected in the 10 cantonal assemblies, among them 91 are women (31.5 percent) and 198 are men (68.5 percent).
Cantons’ executive bodies consist in a Cantonal Government, which is composed of ministers led by a Prime Minister, and is approved by the Cantonal Assembly.
Local government
At the local level, the government is split into one or two tiers. There is an upper tier of 24 city-level local government units, and a lower tier of 143 municipalities. The Brcko District exists as a separate, autonomous single-tiered local government unit under the central government. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its Ministry of Justice is responsible for oversight on local government. In the Republika Srpska, its Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government is responsible for policies and oversight on local government.
Legislative bodies at the city- and municipal level consist in assemblies composed of 11-35 and 11-31 members respectively. The city assembly president and the municipal assembly chairperson are elected from and by the respective assemblies.
Executive bodies at the city- and municipal level consist in city and municipal governments composed of appointed members, and are presided by city and municipal mayors.
The Brcko District’s legislative body consists in an assembly composed of 31 members, and is presided by a Speakers elected by and from the Brcko District Assembly. The executive body consists in the Brcko District Mayor, elected by the members of the Brcko District Assembly.
The 40 percent gender quota applies also to local government bodies.
For more information on gender quotas adopted at the national level, visit the women in parliament section.
Structure of public administration
The central government of Bosnia and Herzegovina holds roles and responsibilities in the fields of foreign policy; national defense; intelligence and security; judicial system; foreign trade policy; customs and monetary policies; immigration, refugee, asylum policy and regulation; and international and inter-entity criminal law enforcement.
The government of the Republika Srpska holds responsibilities regarding the integrity, constitutional order and territorial unity of the entity; security; protection of human rights and freedoms; property; taxation; economic, scientific, technological, demographic and social development; public services and social welfare; energy and environment; culture.
The government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina holds responsibilities regarding economic and fiscal policies; terrorism, inter-cantonal crimes, drug trafficking and organized crime; energy and environment; taxation; protection of human rights; health; infrastructure; social welfare; and use of natural resources.
Cantons within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina hold competencies in the areas of police; educational and cultural policy; housing and provision of public services; local land use; social welfare; and fiscal policy. Moreover, cantons and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina share responsibilities in the areas of human rights enforcement; health; environmental policy; social welfare policy; tourism; and use of natural resources.
The local government at the city, municipal and Brcko District levels is responsible for managing local property, local financial resources, provision of local public services, and making local statutes.
Women’s representation as employees and decision-makers in public administration
This visualization was developed based on data provided by GIRL@University of Pittsburgh.
Data across countries and territories is not comparable. For more information about the methodology and sources used, read here.
Women’s representation in public administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina has increased in recent years at both the employee and decision-making levels. At the employee level, women’s representation in public administration measured 41.4 percent in 2023, compared to 37.6 percent in 2016. At the decision-making level, women’s representation in public administration measured 53.5 percent in 2023, compared to 45.1 percent in 2018.