How cohesive is society in Bosnia and Herzegovina? Do citizens trust their neighbours from other ethnic groups? Are people more or less willing to participate in civic life than they were five years ago? These questions are not rhetorical - they can be measured, and they have been.

The Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index, known as SCORE, is a scientific research tool that quantifies how societies function at the level of everyday attitudes, behaviours and relationships. Developed in 2012 through a partnership between the Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), SCORE captures dynamics that are not typically reflected in conventional economic or demographic statistics: the level of trust between ethnic groups, the extent of civic engagement, citizens' sense of belonging, their resilience to divisive narratives, and the factors that either strengthen or weaken the fabric of coexistence.

Three waves of evidence in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The SCORE survey has been implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina three times, in 2014, 2020 and 2025, providing over a decade of data on social cohesion in the country. The first wave, conducted in 2014, focused on intergroup relations and readiness for political compromise. The second, in 2020, expanded the scope to include indicators on ethnonationalist narratives, resilience to radicalisation and civic behaviour. That data was collected just before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life across the country.

The third and most recent wave was completed in early 2026 within the project "Bridges of Trust: Improving social cohesion and resilience in Bosnia and Herzegovina," financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark and implemented by UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Conducted in partnership with SeeD and Prism Research, this round covered 63 municipalities across all regions of the country. In ten municipalities/cities (Velika Kladuša, Jajce, Odžak, Stolac, Mostar, Prnjavor, Doboj, Teslić, Srebrenica and Brčko District of BiH) additional interviews were conducted to allow for more detailed local-level analysis. It is the first of the three waves to allow comparison across more than a decade of data.

What does SCORE measure?

SCORE works through indicators, each one built from several survey questions that capture a particular phenomenon from multiple angles. Answers are combined into a score from 0 to 10: 0 means the phenomenon is entirely absent, 10 means it is strongly present. Most scores  for main social cohesion elements in BiH fall between 4 and 6, and even small shifts can reflect significant change. An increase of nearly a full point in civic responsibility over five years, for instance, represents a measurable shift in how citizens see their own role in society.

Indicators are grouped into broader elements of social cohesion: intergroup harmony, inclusive belonging, constructive citizenship, support for state institutions and a shared sense of progress. Data is collected through face-to-face household interviews across the country, administered by Prism Research with a nationally representative sample.

One of the defining features of SCORE is that it is not designed in isolation. Before data collection, indicators are calibrated through local stakeholder consultations, interviews with academics and focus groups with specific demographics such as youth. Afterwards, findings go through a validation process with a Core  ReflectionGroup bringing together institutions, civil society and academia. This participatory approach reflects the core aim of the Bridges of Trust project: building social cohesion through understanding and cooperation, with the support of the Kingdom of Denmark and the partnership between UNDP, SeeD and local stakeholders.

How to read SCORE results

When the findings are published, here is what to expect.

Scores and comparisons over time. Findings are reported on the 0–10 scale, with changes from earlier waves shown where comparison is possible. One important caveat: the 2020 baseline coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected social contact and institutional trust. Some improvements in the latest data may partly reflect a return from an unusual low point. The findings should be read with both optimism and caution.

Regional differences and heatmaps. Results vary across entities, cantons and regions. Colour-coded maps show where a given indicator, such as civic awareness, social anxiety, or trust, is more or less prevalent, making it easier to identify where attention is most needed.

Predictive models and resilience analyses. The full report will include diagrams showing which factors drive particular outcomes. For example, what predicts intergroup harmony or what protects communities from the pull of divisive narratives. These tools help translate data into actionable policy and programming.

What comes next

Ahead of the full report, UNDP is releasing a series of short social media posts highlighting selected findings, each presenting a single data point as a question and answer, designed to invite reflection. These posts are a preview, not the complete analysis.

The full SCORE report, interactive data platform and thematic policy recommendations will be made publicly available following the official launch.

For more on the SCORE methodology globally, visit scoreforpeace.org.