Housing

Access to housing for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not governed by unified eligibility schemes specifically designed for youth. Instead, young people most commonly secure housing through family-owned property, market-based rental arrangements, or, to a much more limited extent, through general social housing schemes.

Programs aimed at improving housing affordability are not youth-specific and are primarily targeted at broader vulnerable categories, including returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and socially vulnerable families. These programs typically take the form of reconstruction assistance and housing support implemented within return and reintegration policies.

• Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees - Bosnia and Herzegovina Project within the Regional Housing Program

As part of efforts to find lasting and sustainable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons in the country and the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina has established close cooperation with the governments of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Given the large number of displaced people in the region who remained because of the armed conflicts of the 1990s and with a view to resolving the refugee population throughout the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina is fully committed to the successful implementation of the Joint Program. A lasting solution for refugees and displaced people should contribute to a crucial act of deepening good unneighborly relations and stability in the region.

• The Regional Housing Program (RHP), co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by the CEB, UNHCR, and OSCE, provided over 2,700 durable housing units in Bosnia and Herzegovina for internally displaced persons, many of whom were youth from post-war communities. While not youth-specific, this program contributed significantly to housing stability for vulnerable groups.
• The Brčko District Government has adopted the Proposal of the Decision on the adoption of the Program of subsidizing part of the interest for the purchase of the first real estate for solving the housing problem on the Brčko District territory. The right to use the interest subsidy may be exercised by natural persons who have a residence in Brčko District territory and who used the loan to purchase the first real estate to solve the housing problem in the Brčko District territory.

The Ministry of Communal Economy, Infrastructure, Physical Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection of Sarajevo Canton announces - Public call to subsidize youth housing

• The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Government approved BAM 15 million from the Budget for a favorable credit housing line intended for young people. The funds will be used to provide a credit line for young people to address housing issues and have been granted to Union Bank on a credit basis with a maturity period of 25 years and a fixed interest rate of 0.1 percent annually.

Pursuant to Article 54, paragraph 1 of the Law on Youth Organization (Republika Srpska Official Gazette, No. 98/04, 119/08 and 1/12), Article 82, paragraph 2 of the Law on Republic Administration (Republika Srpska Official Gazette, No. 118/08, 11/09, 74/10, 86/10 and 24/12), and in accordance with the Republika Srpska Youth Policy 2010 - 2015 (Republika Srpska Official Gazette, No. 105/09), the Republika Srpska Minister of Family, Youth and Sports adopted:

• Rulebook on Subsidizing Interest Rates on Housing Loans for Young People and Young Married Couples (Republika Srpska)

This rulebook, issued by the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports of Republika Srpska, sets out the criteria and procedures for allocating budget funds to subsidize interest rates on housing loans. The subsidies are targeted at young people (typically under 35 at the time of taking the loan) and young married couples who have obtained housing loans from commercial banks (via credit lines of the Investment-Development Bank of Republika Srpska) or directly from the bank.

The program aims to make home ownership more affordable for young residents of Republika Srpska by covering part of the interest costs, encouraging family formation, higher birth rates, and retaining young people in the entity. It has been in operation since 2008, with annual public calls for applications.

• The UNHCR Housing Support program also supported the reconstruction of residential units for returnees and displaced youth, although funding has shifted to the Regional Housing Program in recent years.

Currently, there is no nationwide housing scheme designed specifically for young people at risk of exclusion, nor a system of youth foyers, supported housing, or affordable rental access tied to youth employment or education programs.

Social services

Access to social services for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina is primarily governed at the entity and local levels, with various strategies targeting socially excluded groups.

Access to social services is mainly provided through Centers for Social Work, which represent the core institutional mechanism for delivering social protection. These centers offer a range of services, including financial assistance through social benefits, counselling and advisory support, protection from discrimination and violence, and, in certain cases, support for covering basic living costs such as utilities. However, the scope and quality of services may vary significantly depending on local capacities and resources.

Although social services are relatively well established in institutional terms, the development of integrated services addressing multiple and interconnected needs of young people remains limited. In practice, more comprehensive approaches are often found within donor-funded or civil society initiatives rather than within public systems. For example, the “YourJob” program, implemented by Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina, combines employment support, career guidance, and psychosocial assistance for vulnerable young people, aiming to improve both employability and social inclusion.

The main target groups of social services include vulnerable categories of youth, such as unemployed young people, youth without parental care, Roma youth, young people with disabilities, and returnees. These groups are typically supported through general social protection measures rather than through youth-specific service frameworks.

Similarly, the UNICEF-supported initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina focus on strengthening inclusive social services, particularly for vulnerable children and youth, by promoting cross-sectoral cooperation between education, social protection, and health systems. These initiatives often include case management approaches and integrated service delivery models at the local level.

Innovation in social services in Bosnia and Herzegovina is largely driven by international organizations and non-governmental actors. While public institutions participate in some pilot initiatives, systematic support for social innovation remains limited and is often dependent on external funding. As a result, many innovative service models, particularly those integrating employment, education, and psychosocial support, are implemented on a project basis and are not always sustainably embedded within the public system.

Additional examples include projects implemented by organizations such as SOS Children’s Villages Bosnia and Herzegovina, which provide integrated support to young people without parental care, including housing assistance, life skills development, and psychosocial support aimed at facilitating independent living.

Despite some efforts, the 2020 National Human Development Report on Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina found that 57% of municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina either lacked social services or had services of insufficient quality.

Health care

While there is no comprehensive national policy dedicated to youth-friendly health care in Bosnia and Herzegovina, several interventions and initiatives have incorporated elements aimed at improving access and quality for young people (typically aged 15–24 or broader youth categories). These focus primarily on primary health care, mental health support, reproductive health, and preventive services, often driven by international donors, NGOs, and pilot projects rather than systemic national programs.

The health care system in Bosnia and Herzegovina is highly decentralized, with responsibilities divided between the two entities and, within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, further delegated to the cantonal level. As a result, health policy, financing, and service delivery vary across the country, which has implications for the accessibility and quality of services available to young people.

Health services for young people are therefore provided within the general health care system rather than through a dedicated youth-focused framework. These services include primary health care delivered through family medicine, reproductive and sexual health services, and mental health care. While reproductive health services are available, the development of youth-friendly services remains limited and uneven. Mental health care is primarily delivered through a network of community mental health centers established as part of mental health reform processes. 

Counselling and psychological support services for young people have become more available in recent years, particularly through educational institutions, health centers, and non-governmental organizations. Schools often provide access to pedagogues and psychologists, while additional support is offered through community-based programs. However, access to such services remains uneven, with significant disparities between urban and rural areas and between different administrative units.

Health services generally target the overall youth population, with some additional focus on adolescents and young people at increased risk, including those affected by mental health issues, substance abuse, or social exclusion. Specific initiatives have also been developed to address the needs of vulnerable groups. For example, programs supported by UNICEF in Bosnia and Herzegovina focus on adolescent health, mental well-being, and risk prevention, often through school- and community-based interventions. 

Key aspects relevant to young people include:

• Mental Health Priorities: Youth mental health has been identified as a critical issue in multiple studies and reports. Challenges include stigma, post-war transgenerational trauma, increasing anxiety/depression (exacerbated by COVID-19), substance abuse, and suicidal ideation among students and adolescents. Initiatives include pilot youth-sensitive care models in community mental health centers, supported by NGOs (e.g., BHIDAPA association for child and adolescent psychotherapy), UNICEF-backed programs, and international projects like the Swiss-funded Mental Health Project. There are 74 community-based mental health centers across Bosnia and Herzegovina, but specialized youth programs remain limited and not formalized nationally.

• Counselling and Helplines: Notable services include the Blue Phone, a free, anonymous counselling line run by the NGO “New Generation” with UNICEF support. It provides psychological help for children and youth on issues like mental health, violence, abuse, and family problems. Calls related to mental health have risen steadily. Some primary health care centers have piloted dedicated youth counselling corners or services, but these are localized and not scaled nationwide.

• Primary Care and Youth-Friendly Approaches: Efforts to make family medicine more accessible to youth include training programs for doctors and nurses on youth-friendly principles (e.g., confidentiality, non-judgmental care, addressing psychosocial issues like substance use, sexual health, and injuries). Barriers for youth often involve stigma, lack of privacy, or services not tailored to their needs (e.g., reproductive health, STI prevention, unhealthy lifestyles).

• Reproductive and Lifestyle Health: Programs like the Young Men Initiative (by CARE International) promote healthier lifestyles, gender equality, and violence prevention among youth. Historical post-war projects included reproductive health training and youth involvement in discussions.

Overall, services for young people are fragmented, relying heavily on donor funding (e.g., Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNICEF, EU), NGOs, and academic collaborations. There is progress in community-based approaches, but gaps persist in institutionalization, coverage equity across entities/cantons, and comprehensive national scaling.

In terms of professional development, continuous medical education is an established component of the health system. However, there is no structured or institutionalized system at the national level for training youth health mediators. Some targeted initiatives do exist, particularly those aimed at improving access to health care for marginalized communities. For instance, Roma health mediator programs have been implemented with support from international organizations such as the United Nations Development Program, focusing on bridging gaps between Roma communities and health institutions. These initiatives, however, remain project-based and are not systematically integrated into the health system. 

Financial services

Efforts to reduce financial exclusion among youth have primarily come through microfinance initiatives and employability support programs. Financial support measures targeting youth are generally indirect, fragmented, and implemented through broader employment, social protection, and development policies rather than through a coordinated financial inclusion strategy.

Access to financial support for young people is primarily ensured through a combination of social benefits, scholarships, and employment-related programs. In particular, employment-focused initiatives supported by international partners play an important role. For example, the EU-supported Youth Guarantee initiative aims to ensure that young people receive employment, training, or education opportunities shortly after becoming unemployed, thereby improving their economic participation and reducing financial vulnerability. 

The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has approved 20 million BAM from the 2025 Budget for a favorable housing credit line intended for young people. These funds will be used to place a credit line intended for young people to solve housing issues, which will significantly contribute to the continuation of solving the existential issues of the population, which affects the retention of young and educated people in the country. It will also contribute to maintaining a socially responsible approach to lending and supporting the recovery of the economy (housing) from negative economic consequences, as well as increasing overall credit activity in the market through more active participation of the Bank.

In 2024, a loan portfolio for individuals was established, and its results are 233 approved loan applications for a total amount of 41,005,188.70 KM, and an average loan amount of 175,039 KM. The average age of loan beneficiaries is 30.8 years, and loan beneficiaries come from more than 28 cities and towns in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The target group is offered the most competitive conditions on the market, a nominal interest rate of 2.99 percent, fixed until the end of the loan repayment, with the possibility of an additional reduction in the interest rate upon the birth of children, which is a unique offer on the market. 

The Youth Employability and Retention Program (YERP), coordinated by UNDP and financed through the Spanish MDG Achievement Fund, supported financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through training, internships, and seed funding for young people at risk of marginalization (2010 – 2012).

Programs implemented by organizations like the Mozaik Foundation (e.g. YouthBank and lonac.pro) further contribute by offering grants and investment opportunities for youth-led initiatives and social enterprises. 

Despite these initiatives, access to formal credit remains limited for many young people. Structural barriers such as lack of collateral, unstable income, and high unemployment rates significantly reduce their ability to obtain loans from commercial banks. In this context, microcredit organizations play an important role in partially addressing financial exclusion. Institutions affiliated with the Association of Microcredit Organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AMFI) provide financial services to economically active individuals who have limited access to traditional banking, thereby supporting entrepreneurship and employment. Individual microfinance institutions, such as Microcredit Foundation Sunrise, offer small loans to low-income clients and those excluded from conventional financial systems, including young people. 

However, measures aimed specifically at preventing financial exclusion among youth remain underdeveloped. Existing efforts are largely project-based, donor-driven, and geographically uneven, without a unified strategic approach or long-term sustainability.

The main target groups of these measures include unemployed young people, young entrepreneurs, and socially vulnerable young people. While a range of programs and financial instruments exist, their impact is constrained by fragmentation, limited institutional coordination, and the absence of a comprehensive national policy dedicated to youth financial inclusion.

Quality assurance

Bosnia and Herzegovina currently lacks a unified or centralized system for quality assurance (QA) of youth inclusive services. Evaluation and quality control practices are fragmented and mostly driven by international organizations or local NGOs.

NGOs such as the PRONI Center for Youth Development implement internal quality assurance through contractual obligations and partnership frameworks with local authorities, but these remain isolated practices. In this case, internal quality assurance is closely related to youth work (Chapter 10.4: Quality and innovation in youth work).

Most publicly funded programs rely on donor-led monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) mechanisms, such as surveys and progress reports. The 2020 National Human Development Report on Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina report noted a lack of institutionalized tracking of service beneficiaries or public reporting on outcomes (UNDP NHDR).

There are currently no national indicators or minimum standards applied across housing, health, social, or financial services, nor penalties for underperformance.