Bosnia-Herzegovina: Constructing Civil Society Under a Semi-Protectorate

Civil society in Bosnia-Herzegovina (henceforth Bosnia or BiH) is weak and divided, but slowly rising to the political role it will have to play to make peace and democracy sustainable.1 Bosnia is simultaneously recovering from the legacy of communism and three and a half years of the most brutal conflict in Europe since WWII. Massive human dislocation caused by the war resulted in ethnically homogeneous areas frequently controlled by the same political parties responsible for the carnage. Unemployment is almost 40 percent,2 and corruption is widespread. In this context, Bosnian citizens are often more concerned by issues of economic survival than by participation in the public sphere. Yet, despite this difficult environment, Bosnian civil society has provided important contributions to the peacebuilding process. Many civil society groups have been engaged in rebuilding relationships and mediating between ethnic communities to facilitate the post-war return of refugees and displaced persons. An increasing number are involved in building the civic attitudes and practices that are necessary for democracy to work, and a few civic initiatives have resulted in legal changes that are helpful to cementing the peace.