New findings from the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index, SCORE, were presented in Sarajevo, offering a new evidence-based picture of how people in Bosnia and Herzegovina live together, how much they trust one another and institutions, and where communities can build stronger cooperation in the future. SCORE helps show how people in Bosnia and Herzegovina live together, how much they trust each other and institutions, and how communities can build stronger cooperation in the future.

SCORE is a research tool that measures social cohesion, trust, belonging, civic participation and resilience to divisive narratives. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it helps turn complex social dynamics into clear and usable data for institutions, communities, media and international partners.

The findings presented show that Bosnia and Herzegovina is more socially resilient than dominant public narratives often suggest. They point to moderate overall social cohesion, above-average intergroup harmony, strong community cooperation at the local level, and a stable sense of inclusive belonging. At the same time, the results also highlight a persistent gap between relatively functional everyday coexistence and widespread pessimism about the country’s direction, including concerns related to political instability, economic uncertainty and the future. 

The research was presented as part of the project “Bridges of Trust: Improving social cohesion and resilience in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, worth approximately USD 1.5 million, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark and implemented by UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina in partnership with SeeD, with data collection carried out by Prism Research. The support of Denmark has made it possible not only to produce this evidence, but also to ensure that it can be used to inform future action.