Locations
"Active women motivate men, and forming associations enables women to choose their own activities, write projects, and reach out to donors, of whom there are many," says Hasan Hrnjić, president of the Gorica Local Community (MZ) in Zenica.
He explains that he encouraged women’s engagement after returning from a seminar.
"A colleague from Ljubuški shared how his wife gathered two of her friends, who then invited more women, leading to the creation of a local association. We did the same—out of six members in our local community council, two are women. According to the statute of the City of Zenica, councils must have at least 30% women. These two women were tasked with replicating the approach from Ljubuški. After two meetings, there were about 20 of them, and by the third, they needed a president. Initially, they were a women's section within the local community, but now they have registered an association and can receive financial support from the city or donors willing to fund social activities. The key is having an organization," says Hrnjić, emphasizing that in his community, the focus is on social life and connectivity.
"Others prioritize roads and asphalt, but we wanted to equip a community center where people could gather. For example, when my cow recently died, my neighbors bought me a new one," Hrnjić concludes.
Tanja Boromisa from the Zdravo da Ste Association says that their field activities have shown that "citizens' forums are a perfect way for women and youth—groups often overlooked by society—to engage in problem-solving and decision-making. However, these forums are still not widely recognized as participation mechanisms among citizens."
In most local communities where serious efforts are made, the number of women involved is increasing.
"In our community, there are now more women and young people than before, and they have reached the point where they can replace the council if they are dissatisfied with its work. They truly want change. They have realized that this is possible through local communities, and they are learning. As a result, citizens' forums have become decision-making bodies. It takes only five people—or the minimum required to launch initiatives or make decisions—to submit a proposal to the local community council. From there, the initiative moves to the municipal level. Citizens' forums have become a decision-making tool in local communities, and more and more women and young people are participating, taking the opportunities available to them seriously," say representatives from the Municipality of Žepče.
They highlight that by mid-2024, four local community councils in their municipality had women as presidents.
The involvement of women and young people is particularly crucial for local communities in rural municipalities and small settlements far from larger urban centers.
Tanja Boromisa
"Women, who are often dedicated to their homes and families, connect through local communities, exchange experiences, support one another, and empower themselves. This type of socialization has diminished with the rise of the internet. Additionally, when people come together, it is easier to organize educational events, activities, and associations or attend fairs outside their local community and municipality, which in turn strengthens their self-awareness. In some rural local communities, women’s associations even organize group medical check-ups because local clinics barely function, and mental and gynecological health are completely neglected. Traveling to a city or a private clinic is also very expensive. For young people, it is essential to secure spaces where they can spend their time and engage in extracurricular activities, as they often lack public transportation in the evenings. Beyond physical spaces, they also need platforms where their voices can be heard. Parents, particularly mothers, support them in these spaces, helping them become agents of change who understand that their actions can influence local policies. Through this process, they become politically active."Duška Andrić from the Center for Women's Rights in Zenica
Kerim Grbić from the Gračanica Local Community regrets that they do not have women's or youth associations.
"We are the largest local community in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 13,000 or 14,000 residents, but we don’t have women’s or youth associations, which would make organizing and advocacy much easier. The Gračanica Youth Council operates at the municipal level, and through our activities, we are continuously growing in membership. Half of our members are women, and we include people with disabilities and Roma community members. It is a real shame that we haven’t managed to establish an association at the local community level," says Grbić.
Through the project "Strengthening the role of local communities in BiH"; which is jointly financed by the Government of Switzerland and Sweden and implemented by the UNDP in BiH, activities for women's empowerment have been implemented in 17 community centers, with 378 women participating.
