Empowering Women in Politics in BiH: UN Women Conducts 11 Training Sessions for Women Politicians

Ahead of the local elections in October 2024, UN Women in BiH held 11 training sessions for women politicians across Bosnia and Herzegovina in June and July, focusing on political leadership and campaign management.

The training sessions were part of the UN Women program dedicated to the political empowerment of women in BiH, with the aim of increasing the number of women candidates in elections and their participation in political decision-making. The sessions were led by 14 certified trainers and were conducted according to UN Women’s global methodology, adapted to the local context.

"The candidates for the 2024 local elections, with whom we worked during the trainings, have run for office to contribute to the improvement of conditions in their communities. Despite this, they face stereotypical attitudes about the role of women in politics, which often represent obstacles for candidates to implement their proposals. That’s why this training is designed to offer them skills for successful campaigning, as well as knowledge on how to overcome any obstacles that arise along the way," said Adnan Kadribašić, gender equality expert and one of the trainers.

The training sessions were held in Banja Luka, Bihać, Doboj, Sarajevo, Goražde, Mostar, Travnik, Trebinje, Tuzla, and Zenica, with a total of 171 participants. The participants enhanced their knowledge in areas such as transformational leadership, election campaign preparation and management, communication skills, voter engagement, and financial planning and campaign management.

"The concept of trainings was well-designed, quite interesting, and dynamic. There was immediacy and open and dynamic communication between the lecturers and the participants. The participants showed interest, and it would be beneficial to extend the series of trainings until the next elections," said Jadranka Miličević from CURE Foundation, who was also one of the trainers.

The evaluation of the training sessions showed that one of the outcomes was a significant improvement in participants' confidence and knowledge, with the greatest progress seen in understanding the electoral process. When asked about the most important skills they learned or improved, 57% of participants mentioned communication or public speaking, while 20% mentioned campaign management.

"This series of training sessions is the result of UN Women’s long-standing commitment to empowering women's political leadership in BiH, aiming to provide all women interested in engaging in public life with knowledge about the important processes of political inclusion. The trainings have enabled participants to enhance their knowledge and take additional steps toward assuming leadership roles in their communities," said Edita Miftari, head of the program for political participation and leadership at UN Women BiH.

In the coming period, UN Women BiH will focus on supporting elected women by strengthening their capacities and providing opportunities for networking and exchange, as well as conducting training sessions in preparation for the 2026 general elections.