Federation of BiH undertakes important steps in protecting victims of domestic violence and violence against women

SARAJEVO, 24 January 2025 -  Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH (Mission) welcomes efforts by authorities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) to improve the legal framework governing gender-based violence in FBiH, including efforts to strengthen the FBiH Law on Domestic Violence and Violence against Women (Law). 

The adoption of this law by the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH on 28 January in its expected form, would constitute a decisive step forward in ensuring and promoting zero tolerance to domestic violence and violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Ahead of the session, the Mission kindly urges parliamentarians to also ensure an applicable legal mechanism that fully protects victims during the transition to the new Law, namely during the finalization of relevant bylaws and the provision of necessary training to practitioners. In line with the conclusions from the series of joint sessions of four FBiH parliamentary committees held during 2024, the Mission would further ask the Parliament of FBiH, to maintain strong oversight of the implementation of the new Law, ensuring accountability form the responsible institutions.  

The Mission remains fully committed to supporting institutions at all levels in the implementation of the Law. Working with institutions is one of the Mission’s three key pillars of engagement - along with the engagement with legislators and political parties - to establish sustainable, effective and victim-centric responses to domestic and gender-based violence, in line with BiH’s international commitments.