Back Promoting women and youth engagement at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Promoting women and youth engagement at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“Gender equality is not only a matter of women, but a matter of the entire society, and we need courageous local elected representatives to ensure a fair, anti-discriminatory and encouraging environment for all those who wish to be involved in local affairs”, highlighted the Chair of the Governance Committee, Jelena Drenjanin (Sweden, EPP/CCE) at the event on “Forging inclusive local processes: involvement of women and youth in policy making”, organised on 29-30 May 2023, in Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Inclusion lies at the heart of effective local governance. By ensuring that all voices are heard, and all segments of society are represented, local authorities can cultivate a more vibrant and participatory democracy at the local level, thereby contributing to social cohesion and sustainable development”, added Rafael Benitez, Director of the Congress.

Through mutual exchanges and dialogue with their European counterparts, the participants identified good practices and new ways for local processes to be more open, inclusive, and representative. They also discussed challenges that women local elected representatives, as well as young people meet, including the need to combat sexism in politics, the impact of social media, the growing presence of hate speech, and the limited space and structured opportunities for youth engagement.

The meeting of the Platform of Exchange on open government brought together more than 20 local authorities across the country who reaffirmed their commitment to participatory decision-making that truly reflects the diverse needs and aspirations of their local communities. The recommendations stemming from meeting will inform future tailored activities of the Congress in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The third meeting of the Platform of Exchange on open government was organised within the project "Innovating democratic participation at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina," implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025. The project aims to enhance the quality of local democracy and create opportunities for citizens to engage in innovative participatory processes in Mostar and elsewhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It promotes new democratic approaches, open government, public ethics, and transparent and inclusive local policy making in the country.

Strasbourg, France 31 May 2023
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