Four civil society organizations from Mostar, Sarajevo and Trebinje are launching initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s leadership, preventing gender-based violence and changing social norms that perpetuate gender inequality.

Grant agreements worth a total of BAM 132,610 were signed at UN House in Sarajevo. The grants were awarded to the associations Žena BiH, Naša perspektiva, Atlantska inicijativa and Stop Mobbing through the public call “Transformative Actions for Women’s Leadership and Changing Social Gender Norms in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, implemented under the Gender Equality Accelerator Joint Programme (GEA), which applies a holistic, cross-sectoral approach to advancing gender equality. The grants awarded through this call are anchored in an activity envisaged under Pillar 3 of the Joint Programme (Women’s Leadership and Gender-Responsive Governance), while also contributing to Pillar 1 (Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls).

The selected initiatives will engage women of different generations, young people and local communities, with activities to be implemented across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Civil society organizations understand the needs of the communities they serve and can turn commitments to gender equality into tangible change. These four initiatives will create more space for women’s leadership, engage young people in challenging harmful gender norms and help ensure that the voices of women who are often excluded are heard more clearly,” said Renaud Meyer, UNDP Resident Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Žena BiH Association from Mostar will implement the project “Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Transforming Social Norms in BiH”, worth BAM 33,200. The project will focus on strengthening women’s leadership and networks and transforming social norms in local communities across Herzegovina.

“We want to empower and connect women so they can participate more actively in their communities and support one another. By working with women of different generations, we will build a space where their voices are heard and valued,” the Žena BiH Association said.

The Naša perspektiva Association from Sarajevo was awarded BAM 33,250 for the project “Seventh Hour”. Through a creative and cultural approach, including an exhibition based on the findings of the Gender Barometer conducted jointly by UNDP and the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the project will show how gender norms and stereotypes affect everyday life, power relations and the distribution of household work and care responsibilities within families, including the often invisible mental load of planning and organizing family life.

“We want to make the Gender Barometer findings relatable through situations people recognize from everyday life. Through an innovative approach, the exhibition will open a conversation about gender stereotypes by examining everyday life and power relations that are often accepted as normal, encouraging audiences to question them as established social norms. We want to encourage audiences to recognize and question these patterns and consider how responsibilities can be shared more fairly,” the Naša perspektiva Association said.

Atlantska inicijativa from Sarajevo will implement the project “Norms Put to the Test: Young People Changing Gender Patterns”, worth BAM 32,910. The project will engage young people from different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina in educational and creative activities and public communication aimed at challenging discriminatory gender norms and creating new social narratives.

“Young people do not simply inherit existing gender norms; they can also drive change. Through education and creative work, we will give them an opportunity to recognize discriminatory and toxic relationship patterns, discuss them and offer different social narratives,” Atlantska inicijativa said.

The Stop Mobbing Association from Trebinje was awarded a grant of BAM 33,250 for the project “Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Gender-Sensitive Governance in the Local Community”. Activities in Prijedor, Trebinje and Zenica-Doboj Canton will focus on strengthening women’s participation in decision-making and improving gender-responsive governance at the local level.

“Women must have a genuine say in decisions that shape life in their communities. Together with women and local stakeholders, we will work to make local governance more responsive to their needs, experiences and proposals,” the Stop Mobbing Association emphasized.

All four initiatives will apply intergenerational and intersectional approaches, with a particular focus on including women and girls who are often excluded from decision-making, as well as engaging men as allies in advancing gender equality. Their implementation will contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and Goal 16 on peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

These activities are being implemented under the Gender Equality Accelerator Joint Programme, implemented by the United Nations agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina: UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF, with financial support from the European Union and the governments of Denmark and Sweden, in cooperation with the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Gender Centre – Centre for Gender Equity and Equality of Republika Srpska and the Gender Centre of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.