AGENCY FOR GENDER EQUALITY IN BIH

Agency for Gender Equality in Bosnia-Herzegovina was established on February 19, 2004, in a decision by the Council of Ministers. Besides the supervision of the implementation of the Law on Gender Equality in BiH, the Agency performs the following functions:

1. Periodically makes actions plans in order to promote gender equality, based on suggestions by all Ministries at the State level; handles plan for the Gender Center (GC), which the Ministry submits every year to the Council of Ministers.
2. Follows applications and coordinates activities with respect to all relevant subjects in the process of implementation of the State Plan.
3. Prepares annual reports to the Council of Ministers about the status of genders in BiH, based on the GC report.
4. Performs evaluations of laws and bylaws that are to be adopted by the Council of Ministers, in order to follow the effects with respect to gender equality and equal representation of genders.
5. Determines methodology for the evaluation of state level policies and programs related to the gender equality.
6. Performs other jobs related to the promotion of gender equality and the implementation of this Law.

GENDER CENTRE OF THE FEDERATION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

http://www.fgenderc.com.ba

The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in its decision of December 7, 2000, has established the Gender Centre of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Ministry for social issues, displaced persons and refugees, and promoted the Centre to the level of the governmental expert body in January 2001. The Gender Centre is a co-ordination body of the FBiH.

GENDER CENTRE OF REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

http://www.gc.vladars.net

Center for Gender Equity and Equality (Gender Center) was founded by the Decision of the RS Government in the end of year 2001. Establishment of such body at the entity level was one of conditions for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s admission to Council of Europe.

Activities of the Agency for Gender Equality and Gender Centres of the Federation BiH and Republika Srpska
- Implementation of the Law on Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Initial report by Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
- Creating the National Action Plan for gender equality in accordance with the Beijing Declaration
- Integrating the gender concept into the mid-term development strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Assessing legislation in order to harmonize it with the Law on Gender Equality in BiH
- Creating a strategy to integrate the gender concept into budgets
- Introducing the gender concept into the educational system of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Preparing public awareness raising publications
- Co-operation with the media with the aim of promoting gender equality in BiH media
- Activities related to supressing domestic violence (supporting the adoption of the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence, and activities related to the preparation of legal acts)
- Activities related to drafting a strategy for providing free legal aid
- Co-operation with gender equality commissions at all levels of legislative and executive authorities
- Co-operation with the United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe, international organisations and embassies in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Co-operation on the regional level (organising regional conferences, networking national mechanisms)