Strengthening accountability of women and young political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina – PHASE I

Timespan: April 2012 – September 2012

Donor: Council of Europe and USAID

Project leader: Council of Europe

Description: USAID BiH and Council of Europe are realising a 21-month long Programme entitled “Strengthening accountability of women and young political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. The Programme was initiated in September 2011 and will last until June 2013. Programme activities are realised in
two directions in order to provide the best possible support to stronger inclusion of women and youth into political processes in BiH.

Even though women in BiH have achieved political power at the highest levels, they are still significantly
less present in the public life and on managerial positions in political parties as well as at the state
and regional level. The root of the problem lays in the strong cultural and social prejudices still greatly present. Political and party leaders view women as unimportant for realisation of their aspirations in achieving and sustaining political power. Taking all this into consideration, this Programme significantly focuses on raising awareness on importance of the role of women in political processes just before the 2012 Municipal Elections, by working with women, women NGOs and women-candidates for the Elections.

Activities are directed towards the achievement of the following objectives:
1) Higher engagement of women in political processes, and
2) Creation of new and more accountable generations of leaders within political parties.

Objective: The Programme will assist the creation of the new and more accountable generation of leaders within political parties at the upcoming municipal elections and raise awareness on importance of the role of women in political processes, as well as increase their engagement in the politics.

Programme activities and expected results
Programme activities have strengthened communication and political conscience amongst women and youth of different nationality. 2012 Elections offered an opportunity to strengthen women and youth so that they would play a more important role in the electoral and political processes as political parties are, during that period, more focused on core issues related to governing on municipal level than on ethnic divisions which usually dominate in the national political debates.

• Activities were realised by 48 women, co-coordinator of this Project, in the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the territory of 8 cantons or 49 cities/municipalities, aiming to gather up to 10.000 women at their meetings
• Local Democracy Agency Mostar has, in coordination with 6 Coordinators, participated in realisation of project activities on the territory of Herzegovina-Neretva, West Herzegovina and Livno Cantons. Activities were realised in the following municipalities: Posušje, Grude, Široki Brijeg, Ljubuški, Čapljina, Stolac, Tomislavgrad and Mostar. 60 meetings gathered 3000 women.

LDA Mostar activities implemented in 2011 – 2012

• 27 – 30 October 2011, Sarajevo – participation in the first part of the training for Project Coordinators;
• 16 – 19 December 2011, Vlašić – participation in the second part of the training for Project Coordinators;
• 27 – 29 April 2012, Trebinje – participation in the third part of the training for Project Coordinators;
• 18 May 2012 – Workshop in Local Community (LC) of Vrapčići, Mostar City North Area, organised for the citizens of the Local Community;
• 29 May 2012 – Workshop in LC of Drežnica, Mostar City North Area, organised for the citizens of the Local Community;
• 4 June 2012 – Workshop in City of Mostar, organised for female councilors and representatives of political parties;
• 13 -15 December 2012, Sarajevo – Final Seminar for Project Coordinators.