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Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Bosnia’s current political system derives from the November 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, which ended three and a half years of war. It is a complex and asymmetrical federation, composed of a state, two entities, one of which is divided into 10 cantons, and Brcko district. Each of these 14 units has its own constitution and government. During ADF’s Democracy Network II program, Bosnia was in effect an international protectorate. The Office of High Representative (OHR) fulfilled the role of international administrator and foreign troops remained, although at significantly reduced levels from the post-war high in 1996.

At the start of 2001 there was an emerging and increasing viable third sector in Bosnia which was contributing to a growing sense of empowerment among ordinary citizens. The number of CSOs in the country had increased remarkably in the five years since the Dayton Peace Accords. Despite efforts to improve the financial and institutional sustainability of the sector, the organizational capacity of most Bosnian CSOs remained weak and largely unsustainable in the absence of high levels of donor support. The CSOs worked alone with little collaboration or networking. Neither government agencies nor the general public had a clear understanding of the role of the third sector, or the advantages the third sector can bring to the development process. Citizen participation was a poorly understood concept and CSOs were unclear on their role in social reform or the importance of mobilizing citizen involvement in the process. Furthermore, CSOs that did perceive a role for themselves in this arena did not have the skills to be successful.

ADF implemented the Democracy Network Phase II (DemNet) program from 2001-2004. ADF designed the DemNet program to develop and strengthen CSOs throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order that they – and the citizens they represent – could more effectively participate in economic and political life. ADF’s DemNet II program was one of those rare occasions in which conditions in a country, the design of a program, and the way in which it is implemented combine to have an impact extending far into the future. As stated in the USAID/BiH 2004 Civil Society Assessment: “The DemNet project has played a significant role in building a critical mass of professional NGOs throughout the country and representing an array of sub-sectors. Its focus on internal capacity building has had a direct effect on external performance and impact of beneficiaries, as well as their prospects for sustainability, which has increased their confidence levels. Its emphasis on networking and coalition building has had multiple positive effects… Its support of NGO advocacy and civic initiatives has led to public-private partnerships and tangible outcomes…”

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