SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – one of the two entities that form the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina – has presented a draft of its Population Development Strategy to address the country’s demographic challenges and anxieties while ensuring steady and sustainable socioeconomic development. The Strategy was developed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy with support from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
Like many countries in the Eastern European region, Bosnia and Herzegovina has experienced significant demographic changes in recent years. People live longer and have fewer children. Also, many young and skilled people and families have left their country to find better opportunities elsewhere. At the same time, labour market participation remains low, particularly among women. Instead of focusing on attaining numerical targets, the Strategy emphasizes the need to create an environment where every person – male or female, of any age – can contribute meaningfully to society and its development.
Currently, only one in three women is formally employed. An estimated half a million women are outside of the labour force, often because of unpaid care duties at home, which limit their employment opportunities, economic independence, and the country’s overall productivity. With only one in three children enrolled in pre-school education, women with children, in particular, have limited opportunities to engage in lifelong learning and career development, making it difficult for them to find employment.
“Imagine the potential these half a million women would currently have on the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Justine Coulson, UNFPA’s Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, speaking at the launch event for the Population Development Strategy. “We hear every day that employers need more workforce but cannot identify them. We also hear that country production levels are low but fail to see the huge potential that rests in women before our eyes.”
The Draft Population Development Strategy prioritizes women’s economic empowerment, promoting policies to ease the burden of unpaid care work and foster more opportunities for equal employment. These include access to affordable childcare, long-term care options for older persons, education and skills training, and universal healthcare coverage.
Ms. Coulson stressed that enabling women to fully participate in the workforce is not only about improving their personal circumstances but also building a more inclusive and resilient economy for the entire country: “This strategy is not a social welfare one. Rather, it is a human capital development strategy that focuses on enabling individuals and families to grow and prosper, bringing prosperity to their communities as well.”
Many countries across Eastern and Southeastern Europe are developing inclusive population strategies, with UNFPA support, to mitigate potential negative consequences of the population shifts they face, and make the most of the opportunities that also come with demographic change. Most recently, Ukraine and Armenia both endorsed comprehensive, evidence-based national demographic strategies that focus on human capital development rather than numeric population goals.
The success of this Strategy will require the collective efforts of all levels of government and sectors, including cantonal institutions. By investing in demographic resilience, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina hopes to create a stronger, more sustainable, and prosperous future for generations to come.
