Young people in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are facing a wide range of problems, from unemployment, housing insecurity, and limited access to healthcare, to insufficient educational opportunities and slow institutional responses. These were the central topics of today’s second thematic session of the Commission for Youth Issues of the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, where representatives of institutions, youth organizations, and civil society discussed concrete measures to improve the status of young people, stressing that this is now an urgent matter.
Adisa Kokić-Hinović, Chair of the Commission for Youth Issues, opened the session by thanking everyone who supported its organization, noting that this was an important opportunity for young people’s concerns to be heard by state institutions.
“Together with our partner organizations – the Institute for Youth Development KULT, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and the Youth Council of FBiH – we focused today’s session on young people. We are discussing education, employment, safety, housing policy, health, student standards, and political participation. We hope to reach concrete conclusions that will be forwarded to the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples for adoption,” she said.
She emphasized that the Committee is continuing the initiatives launched in 2022, when the first thematic session on youth issues was held and more than 50 conclusions were adopted, many of which, she noted, “are still waiting to be implemented.”
Kokić-Hinović highlighted the long-delayed adoption of the FBiH Youth Strategy, a key document intended to consolidate all youth-related policies and programs. “This was one of the conclusions of the previous session. The Government of FBiH formed a working group in 2024 and drafted the strategy. At the beginning of 2025, it was sent to Parliament, but was unexpectedly withdrawn in April. We continue to insist that it be returned to parliamentary procedure because young people cannot wait any longer,” she said.
Jasmina Banjalučkić, Strategic Management Lead at the Institute for Youth Development KULT, presented a series of data illustrating the real conditions in which young people in the FBiH live.
“The average young person in the FBiH has completed secondary school, but has had very little practical training during their education. Young people consistently tell us this is one of the biggest problems in the education system. 78 percent of young people still live with their parents because they can’t afford to move out and live on their own. Half of young women have never had a gynecological exam, and more than 70 percent of young people have never been to a psychologist,” she said.
She added that through this thematic session, the Institute aims to open a discussion about youth safety not only in the physical sense, but more broadly through health, education, economic, and social security. “Our goal is to offer concrete proposals and provide institutions with clear guidance. Young people want to stay here, but they need conditions that make that possible. At the moment, they don’t have them.”
Employment, she stressed, requires a strategic approach rather than fragmented measures. While no ad hoc intervention can solve the problem overnight, employment programs must be aligned with what young people say they actually need.
“They don’t just need financial support to start a business. They also need legal, mentoring, and technical assistance so those businesses can survive. The goal is not to invest in businesses that will disappear in a year, but to build long-term programs that create new jobs for other young people,” she noted.
Speaking on behalf of the House of Peoples of FBiH, Emir Dautović, Chair of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Sports, and Youth Affairs, noted that “all eyes are on politicians, and rightly so,” adding that they need to work harder instead of looking for excuses.
He emphasized the importance of investing in sports and youth infrastructure, noting that the problems of young athletes rarely rank high on priority lists. “Sport is an important part of youth safety because it builds a healthy society and fosters a sense of community. We need to recognize that and support it through an institutional approach,” he said.
Irma Rešidović, General Secretary of the Youth Council of FBiH, noted that investment in young people remains insufficient, as evident from budget allocations. “The analysis shows that less than 0.1 percent of the total annual FBiH budget is allocated for youth. Our message to institutions is clear – it’s time to focus on young people. It’s time for strategic programs and serious investment aligned with young people’s needs,” she said.
Rešidović added that previous sessions and discussions have produced some progress. She highlighted the action plan for implementing the Youth Guarantee, a program supported by the European Union that aims to provide sustainable solutions to youth unemployment. The idea is that every young person, within four months of completing their education, should be offered a job, further training, or a work engagement.
Ismet Bešić, President of the Youth Council of Una-Sana Canton, said that young people in his canton receive very little institutional support. “I wouldn’t say lack of employment opportunities is the only reason young people are leaving. In Una-Sana Canton, most opportunities come from the private sector, especially tourism. Young people are finding their own ways to get by – they start businesses and fight for survival. Unfortunately, they get no support from the state. We help each other more than the government helps us,” Bešić said.
Speakers emphasized the need to accelerate the adoption of the FBiH Youth Strategy, ensure full implementation of the Youth Law, and increase budget allocations for youth programs. They also stressed that the Federation of BiH must develop a system that provides young people with quality education, secure employment, accessible healthcare, and support in securing housing, allowing them to build dignified lives and reducing the pressure to leave the country.
