There is no state-level law regulating civic education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Framework Law on Primary and Secondary Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2003) provides that education needs to promote democratic values, human rights, minority rights, and freedom of expression, and that curricula must ensure civic and moral education as part of primary and secondary education.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, civic education is provided as a compulsory or elective separate subject in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska without being integrated into other compulsory subjects. Its implementation is not consistent across entities, Brčko District and cantons in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Civic education in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been conducted in some parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while in some cases it is not implemented at all. The local civil society organization CIVITAS has played a major role in the promotion of civic education, which has been working on the promotion and implementation of civic education in elementary and secondary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina through their network for years.

Policy framework

There is no policy framework for civic education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and education laws do not define it specifically. Although there is no single law that regulates citizenship education as a separate subject throughout the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a legal framework exists through framework laws at the state level, entity and cantonal laws and strategic documents and international obligations.

Formal learning

Curricula for secondary education in Bosnia and Herzegovina include civic education as a separate subject, but in different ways depending on the entity, canton, or Brčko District. There is no unified approach, so the content, status (mandatory or elective subject), subject title, and number of teaching hours vary significantly. The subject is usually called “Civic education” or “Democracy and human rights”. In cases where it does not exist as a separate subject, elements of civic education are often integrated into subjects such as History, Sociology, Ethics, Philosophy, and Culture of Religions.

There is currently no unified standard for the number of civic education hours in schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is generally taught for one class per week during one school year in both primary and secondary schools.

Student councils (pupils’ councils) are legally mandated in primary and secondary schools across Bosnia and Herzegovina. They provide a formal mechanism for pupil participation in school decision-making. There is also a national Network of Student Councils of Bosnia and Herzegovina that unites these bodies. However, their effectiveness varies, with some being active and others more nominal, often depending on school support and training (e.g., supported by organizations like OSCE and World Vision).

Non-formal and informal learning

The U.S. Embassy’s Comprehensive In-School Democracy and Human Rights Education Program (announced via platforms like Snaga lokalnog) supports extracurricular civic education opportunities in schools, including curriculum implementation, student competitions, and teacher certification efforts. This appears to be a grant-funded initiative with calls issued periodically (e.g., notable activity around 2022–2024, with funding up to $550,000 in some rounds); it is not a permanent ongoing program but project-based.

Youth Policy Camps, organized by Humanity in Action Bosnia and Herzegovina and partners (e.g., Westminster Foundation for Democracy), offer immersive workshops in political literacy and democratic engagement for 18–25-year-olds. These are not strictly annual but have been organized multiple times (e.g., in 2022 and referenced in recent years), often tied to election cycles or specific projects to target first-time voters.

Quality assurance/quality guidelines for non-formal learning

Bosnia and Herzegovina currently lacks a standardized quality assurance mechanism for non-formal civic learning. However, programs such as Education for Peace (EFP-Bosnia and Herzegovina) – a dedicated initiative focused on interethnic peace building through workshops for youth, teachers, and communities – and Council of Europe-supported initiatives embed training evaluation and peer mentorship models to support best practices.

The Council of Europe/European Union joint action “Quality Education for All” actively supports schools in becoming resource centers for democratic school culture. This includes establishing pilot schools as resource centers (e.g., in Brčko District and Tuzla Canton as of 2025), teacher trainings, digital classrooms for human rights education, and promoting competences for democratic culture based on the Council of Europe's Reference Framework. Multiple schools have been designated as resource centers, with ongoing expansions (e.g., trainings in 2023–2025 school years).

Educators' support

Educators across primary and secondary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina have participated in training sessions on the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture, facilitated by the Council of Europe. This initiative fosters inclusive, participatory pedagogy in regions like Brčko District, Gorazde, and Zenica.

The U.S.-funded civic education program also supports development of interdisciplinary curricula, teacher guides, and certification tools for K–12 civic learning.