Bosnia and Herzegovina

Progress and next steps 

March 2019: Bosnia and Herzegovinia ran a Sarajevo Chiefs of Defence Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Conference in March 2019.

Hosted by the Bosnian and Herzegovinian Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Senad Mašović, and with support from Defence Section Sarajevo, the conference ran over three days with the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s annual International Women’s Day celebration.

Building on the 2018 – 2022 National Action Plan, the conference delivered a list of published objectives:

• Conducting a thorough gender audit and analysis of the BiH Armed Forces, including a review of internal institutions (policies, procedures and working cultures) and military training and operations, with an emphasis on qualitative data.
• Appointing full-time Military Gender and Protection Advisor(s) to strategic and operational planning headquarters.
• Including WPS and UNSCR1325 in doctrine and military guidance.
• Including gender-related scenarios on exercises and during training of the Armed Forces.

British Embassy Sarajevo will now partner with AFBiH to deliver upon the activities identified above, with support from UN Women and UNDP SEESAC, and to help Bosnia and Herzegovina cement its position as a leading regional champion of Women, Peace and Security in Defence.