Gender Quotas Database
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Southern Europe
Single / Lower House
Predstavnicki dom / House of Representatives
| Total seats | 42 |
| Total women | 8 |
| Percentage of women | 19% |
| Gender Quota target | 40% |
| Election year | 2022 |
| Electoral system | List PR |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
Each candidate list includes male and female candidates, who are equally represented. Equal representation of the sexes exists in the case when one of the sexes is represented by at least 40% of the total number of candidates on the list. (Article 4.19-3) Each candidate list for compensatory mandates includes male and female candidates who are equally represented. Equal representation of the sexes exists in the case when one of the sexes is represented by at least 40% of the total number of candidates on the list. (Article 4.24-2) |
| Rank order/placement rules | Electoral law |
Candidates of the less-represented gender are distributed on the candidate list in the following way: at least one candidate of the less-represented gender among the first two candidates, two candidates of the less-represented gender among the first five candidates and three candidates of the less-represented gender among the first eight candidates, etc. (Article 4.19-3) Candidates of the underrepresented gender are distributed on the candidate list for compensatory mandates as follows: at least one candidate of the underrepresented gender among the first two candidates, two candidates of the underrepresented gender among the first five candidates, three candidates of the underrepresented gender among the first eight candidates, etc. (Article 4.24-2) |
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | Yes |
10% of the public funding budget is distributed to parliamentary groups proportional to the number of seats belonging to less represented gender See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | No | See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Upper House
Dom Naroda / House of Peoples
| Total seats | 15 |
| Total women | 2 |
| Percentage of women | 13% |
| Gender Quota target | 40% |
| Election year | 2023 |
| Electoral system | |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
(1) State bodies at all levels of government and local self-government bodies, including legislative, executive and judicial authorities, political parties, legal entities with public powers, legal entities owned or controlled by the state, entity, canton, city or municipality or whose work is supervised by a public body, shall ensure and promote equal representation of the sexes in management, the decision-making process and representation. This obligation also exists for all authorized proposers during the selection of representatives and delegations in international organizations and bodies. (2) Equal representation of the sexes exists in the case where one of the sexes is represented at least in the percentage of 40% in the bodies referred to in paragraph (1) of this article. (Article 20, Gender Equality Law) |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Gender Quota target | 40% |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
(1) State bodies at all levels of government and local self-government bodies, including legislative, executive and judicial authorities, political parties, legal entities with public powers, legal entities owned or controlled by the state, entity, canton, city or municipality or whose work is supervised by a public body, shall ensure and promote equal representation of the sexes in management, the decision-making process and representation. This obligation also exists for all authorized proposers during the selection of representatives and delegations in international organizations and bodies. (2) Equal representation of the sexes exists in the case where one of the sexes is represented at least in the percentage of 40% in the bodies referred to in paragraph (1) of this article. (Article 20, Gender Equality Law) |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Party | Socijaldemokratske partije Bosne i Hercegovine (SDP BiH) |
The party has a 30 percent quota (2001). |
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional information
In 1998, the Provisional Election Commission adopted a minimum 30% quota for women on every party list. In the 1998 elections this resulted in a dramatic increase in women’s representation at all legislative levels. In 2000, this rule was codified into the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina and applied to all party lists in the 2000 national and municipal elections. However, the electoral law was reformed at the same time to provide an open-list proportional electoral system, which subsequently reduced the impact of legislated candidate quotas (International IDEA 2004: 39). In the 2014 election, "in line with recent amendments to the election law, 42% of candidates were women" (OSCE/ ODIHR Election Observation Mission 2014: 12 ). However, women obtained only 21.4% of the seats, according to IPU (www.ipu.org) up from 17% in the 2010 elections. The changes of the Election Law in
2013 increased the quota from 33% to 40%. Nevertheless, in the 2018 general elections, women candidate registration was considerable, but the percentage of women being elected into the Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives (BiH HoR) remained at 21.4 %, and the share of women elected into the BiH HoR on state level decreased from 23% in the 2014 elections to only 16% (two women) in the 2018 elections (OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission 2018: 2, 14).
Sources
Legal Source:
- Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Link
- Electoral Law - Link
- Political Party Law - Link
- Gender Equality Law - Link
- Law on financing of political parties - Link
Other Sources:
- Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Link
- Electoral Commission - Link
- The Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Link
- BASELINE STUDY ON BARRIERS TO POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (2020) - Link
- Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Parline Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Bosnia and Herzegovina General Elections 7 October 2018 - Link
- Boric, B, ‘Application of Quotas: Legal Reforms and Implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina’, in J. Ballington and F. Binda (eds), The Implementation of Quotas: European Experiences, Quotas Report Series no. 4 (Stockholm: International IDEA, 2005);
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Bosnia and Herzegovina on iKNOW Politics
- Council of Europe. 2019. Violence against women in politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- United Nations Development Programme [UNDP]. 2019. Baseline study on barriers to political participation of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Westminster Foundation for Democracy [WFD]. Women and young people – a catalyst for change in Bosnia and Herzegovina December 2021.
- OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, http://www.oscebih.org/oscebih_eng.asp
- Antic, M.G and Lokar, S. 2006. 'The Balkans: from total rejection to gradual acceptance of gender quotas', in Dahlerup, D. (ed.) Women, Quotas and Politics, London/New York: Routledge, pp. 138-167.
- Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation. 2002. ‘A Compilation of NGO Reports from Balkan Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina.’ Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). 2002. pp.54-85.
- International Helsinki Federation (IHF) on Human Rights. 2002.
- Stability Pact Gender Task Force (SPGTF). 2002. Building National Gender Equality Mechanisms in South East Europe – Women's Use of the State.
- Woodward, A. 2001. ‘Women Are Doing It – Building a Gender Balanced Democracy using Sticks, Carrots and Kisses’. Stability Pact Gender Task Force Regional Meeting, Slovenia (SPGTF).
- International Helsinki Federation (IHF) Report: Women 2000.
- Association of Election Officials in BiH, http://www.aeobih.com/bos
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament website, http://www.parlament.ba/
- Bosnian Government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.mvp.gov.ba
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