Legal/policy framework for the functioning and development of youth organizations

There is currently no unified national policy framework for youth organizations. While entities and Brčko District have varying legal recognition, coordination at the state level remains absent.

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Law (Article 4) defines "youth work" as planned, purposeful support through voluntary participation The Republika Srpska Law on Youth Organization describes youth work (Article 2 of the Youth Law) as non-formal activity organized with and for youth to support their development. The Brčko District Youth Law defines both youth work and "youth workers", which is the only formal recognition of the role in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Youth work is defined as “the part of youth activities organized with and for youth, which takes place within the free time of young people and is performed in order to improve conditions for personal and social development of young people and the general social benefits in accordance with their needs, opportunities, and with their voluntary participation.” 

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Law was adopted in 2010. This Law regulates issues related to youth engagement, position and activities in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Brčko District adopted the Youth Law in 2017 and Volunteering Law in 2018 with similar regulations to those in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. The Brčko District Government adopted the Brčko District Youth Policy 2022-2026 at its 85th session held on January 11, 2023. 

Public financial support

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Civil Affairs, as the responsible authority at the national level, as well as the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers, have not allocated any direct funds specifically for supporting youth organizations or implementing a national youth program in the last five years (2021–2025). Bosnia and Herzegovina still lacks a national youth strategy and dedicated state-level budget line for youth policy. Youth issues remain primarily under the responsibility of the entities and Brčko District.

The Republika Srpska Government continues to allocate funds for youth-related programs, projects, and measures through its annual budgets (primarily via the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports). However, recent detailed breakdowns are limited in public sources. For reference:

• In 2016, the Republika Srpska budget allocated approximately EUR 2.335 million for youth-related activities. Recent years (2020–2025) show ongoing support for youth policy implementation, including grants for youth organizations, but exact annual figures for the last five years are not consistently published in aggregated form. Funding typically ranges in the low millions of BAM annually (roughly EUR 1–3 million, depending on the year), with priorities including youth employment, education, and NGO support.

In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Government has significantly increased funding for youth policy in recent years:

• In 2023, funding rose to BAM 400,000 (~EUR 204,000) for the youth program.

• In 2024, funding for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Council increased significantly (exact figure not specified in public reports but described as a substantial rise). In 2023–2025, additional measures included allocations for youth housing credit lines (e.g., BAM 15–20 million earmarked in certain years for subsidized loans for young people). The adoption of the Proposal of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Strategy 2025–2034 in late 2024/early 2025 signals stronger institutional commitment but dedicated annual funding for youth organizations remains modest compared to overall needs.

In Brčko District, the Brčko District Government has consistently provided support for youth initiatives since its establishment, including grants for youth projects and organizations.

In 2016, approximately EUR 100,000 was secured for youth initiatives. Recent years (2020–2025) show continued funding, including:

• Grants for youth projects (ongoing annual support).

• Specific allocations (e.g., BAM 300,000 for the Youth Center Grčica in 2025 rebalancing).

• Other youth-related measures (e.g., housing subsidies, employment programs). Total annual youth-specific funding typically remains in the range of BAM 100,000–500,000, depending on the year and additional project-based support.

In Republika Srpska, a network of youth centers, recognized by law, receives support directly from the entity's Ministry to organize activities, though financial backing remains limited.

Youth NGOs often rely on external grants and project-based funding. For instance, the CHANGE program, led by the Institute for Youth Development KULT and supported by the Swedish Embassy, awarded grants totaling BAM 265,000 to several youth organizations, including Youth Press Association in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Association Progressive Development of Organizations and Individuals PROI, Association for Education and Development “Dignitet” and Association of Secondary School Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
When it comes to EU/international support, initiatives like the Youth Guarantee involve youth organizations as partners in implementation. Such programs bring in EU support and international collaboration (e.g., with PROI, PRONI and youth councils) across policy implementation and youth empowerment actions. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Agreement on Establishing the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) on July 4, 2016, at the Summit of Prime Ministers of the Western Balkans in Paris. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s contribution to the RYCO’s Budget is EUR 154,000.00 for the Agreement implementation. RYCO launches annual Open Calls for CSOs, with the aim to support the civil society in the Western Balkans to foster reconciliation, peacebuilding, regional cooperation, and intercultural learning, by providing young people with opportunities that create space for dialogue, mutual learning, and increased understanding across the region. So far, RYCO supported 110 projects with 240 CSOs and 115 schools. 

The 7th Open Call, known as “RYCOnnecting Youth” since 2023, was officially launched on December 31, 2025, and was open for applications by February 13, 2026.

Initiatives to increase the diversity of participants

There are no specific national or large-scale initiatives aiming to increase the diversity of young people participating in youth organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Events like “Opportunities for All Young People: Success through Diversity”, organized by the Education Builds Bosnia and Herzegovina – Jovan Divjak association with the support from Sarajevo Canton authorities, include fairs and workshops tailored to empower youth from marginalized groups with sign language interpretation and inclusive engagement.

Efforts by KULT and PRONI organizations include advocating for professional recognition of youth workers, curriculum development, and entity-level youth strategies. These also include conventions uniting organizations across entities to define common standards and promote inclusive participation.