Information providers / counselling structures

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Election Commission is the state level authority when it comes to raising political awareness amongst young people. Their Center for Education is established and aimed at education of the election management bodies (EMBs) and all election stakeholders, as well as financing political parties at the national, regional and international level.

By establishing the Center for Education, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Election Commission has provided a permanent and adequate space to meet the legal obligation for continuous training of the EMBs members. The Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Election Commission strives to provide high quality and continuous training and professional development of all participants in the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina by organizing educational workshops, seminars and lectures to be delivered to the members of election administration, but also to the representatives of political subjects, the media and NGOs, by renowned domestic and international election experts.

The example of their work with youth are projects like: Lecture to the students of the Faculty of Law of the Sarajevo University and promotion of the Increasing Youth Participation in the Election Process initiative to mark the World Election Day (2018).

The Youth Ambassadors of Freedom of Expression initiative (2024) operates under the EU-funded “HUB for the Protection of Freedom of Expression”, implemented by JaBiHEU and World University Service Austria. This platform equips selected youth from across the country to advocate for freedom of expression and counter hate speech.

The Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) offers educational media and workshops on democratic values via its Balkan Diskurs platform and the Ordinary Heroes project, which highlight stories promoting tolerance and interethnic understanding. The Institute for Youth Development KULT conducted a 2024 survey revealing young people's low political literacy and limited knowledge of key officials. It also noted that youth primarily rely on social media and internet portals for political information. 

Youth-targeted information campaigns about democratic rights and democratic values

Youth across Bosnia and Herzegovina are mobilized to defend media freedom and counter hate speech through the Young Ambassadors of Freedom of Expression initiative.

The Youth Policy Camp organized by Humanity in Action Bosnia and Herzegovina, with support from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, offered a four-day immersive training on voting, civic and political processes—targeting first-time young voters (ages 18–25) (2024).

Promoting intercultural dialogue among young people

The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) regional school exchange program “SuperSchools” is a project co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ) and implemented by RYCO in cooperation with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). Its aim is to support the process of peacebuilding and reconciliation, promote intercultural learning and dialogue between schools, students, and their communities, and establish strong and sustainable connections between secondary schools in the region and build long-term partnerships. The program continues to operate beyond its initial three-year phase (2021–2024), with ongoing implementation cycles; as of 2025, new calls for applications (e.g., 4th cycle) and selections of schools have been active, including awards and exchanges throughout the year across the Western Balkans 6.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Y-Peer network, coordinated by UNFPA, makes significant strides in fostering peace and intercultural dialogue amongst youth. This dynamic network empowers young people aged 18 to 30 to become ambassadors of peace and social cohesion. With a robust structure that includes various stakeholders such as entity ministries, non-governmental organizations, media, and IT companies, Y-Peer aims to address conflict drivers like hate speech, divisive narratives, and negative gender norms. The network facilitates workshops, trainings, and dialogue across diverse communities, including Roma youth, to foster intercultural understanding. As of late 2024 and into 2025, it remains actively engaged in educational integration (e.g., methodologies incorporated into university curricula), community events in multiple cities, and regional UN initiatives on inclusion and trust-building.

The Project BRIDGE (Building Relations for Intercultural Dialogue, Growth and Excellence) was a UNDP-led effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). This project focused on intercultural dialogue and interaction amongst youth, centered around nature, environment, and scientific experiences. It operated on the belief that shared outdoor learning opportunities could foster trust and reduce prejudices amongst divided communities. The project was active around 2021 (official launch period) and appears to have concluded as a distinct initiative, though similar themes continue in broader UNDP peace building efforts like Dialogue for the Future.

The BEYOND project, funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program and implemented by the Youth for Peace organization and its partners (including THY Denmark, Balkans Let's Get Up! Serbia, Joint Italy, and Hang-Kép Hungary), focused on youth exchanges centered on dialogue and identity amongst youth from Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighboring countries, using creative non-formal education methods. It ran primarily from 2020 to 2022 (kick-off in December 2019, main activities including training and exchanges through November 2022) and has concluded.

Youth Organization “Svitac” (Firefly) in Brčko District continues to run arts-based workshops, intercultural evenings, and dialogue initiatives to encourage youth interaction across ethnic divisions and promote tolerance through creativity. As an ongoing multi-ethnic youth arts and education organization, it offers daily and monthly activities (e.g., language, drama, sports, and cultural diversity workshops), summer camps, and events, with reported activities extending into late 2025.

Promoting transparent and youth-tailored public communication

There are not any national, entity, or Brčko District policy frameworks or guidelines on transparent public communication targeting young people.