ODIHR presents recommendations on improving the legislative process in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Making use of recommendations developed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to improve the lawmaking process in Bosnia and Herzegovina and ensure that it complies with human rights was the focus of discussions with national stakeholders organized by ODIHR in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In a series of events that took place from 30 May to 2 June 2023, ODIHR discussed recommendations from its Assessment of the Legislative Process in Bosnia and Herzegovina with key actors in the lawmaking process at the state and entity levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as reviewing and analyzing the country’s legislative framework and practices.

More than 70 representatives from the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, as well as from international organizations took part in the meetings.

A result of two years of work, the ODIHR assessment report was completed in December 2022, following an official request from the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The report identifies a number of areas for reforming the legislative process to improve legislation, as well as the tools and mechanisms to make lawmaking procedures more effective, inclusive and transparent.

The report aims to contribute to promoting inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency of the lawmaking processes to enable the development and adoption of qualitative, human rights-compliant and enforceable legislation. It builds upon the work carried out by ODIHR and its unique methodology for assessing legislative processes of individual OSCE participating States over the past 20 years and is part of the OSCE’s ongoing activities to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina in its efforts to implement key OSCE commitments, including those on the need to formulate and adopt legislation through an open, transparent and inclusive process.