More than twenty years after a war that devastated the country BiH is a middle-income country that has gained the status of official candidate for accession to the European Union (EU) in 2016. The reform of the justice system, including justice for children, is a necessary pre-condition to the country’s EU membership. According to the 2013 census, there are 786’461 children between 0 and 18 years old living in BiH. In recent years, it seems that the number of reported crimes involving child victims in BiH has been increasing. In 2015, 6’395 children (out of which nearly 1/3 female) were identified as prone to committing criminal offenses, and hundreds of child victims are involved in the criminal justice process each year, either as victims or witnesses. Children from poor family background and other disadvantaged groups (child with a disability, the Roma child, the child in detention or deprived of parental care) are simultaneously more likely to have their rights violated and less likely to seek and obtain remedy.

The Project Support to the Juvenile Justice Reform implemented by UNICEF with the support of SDC and Sida has been evaluated after two phases (2010-2017) and it was found that UNICEF played an essential role in instigating change by implementing the new legal framework on “Protection and Treatment of Children and Juveniles” which is compliant with international standards. This third and final project phase will consolidate achievements whilst building the foundation for financial sustainability of the reform to the juvenile justice system and its implementation throughout the country.

The Project’s direct beneficiaries: professionals in charge of justice and protection for children in BiH, i.e. governmental authorities and the institutions they oversee at the municipal, cantonal, entity/BD and State levels, including education, justice, social welfare and training institutions.

The Project’s end beneficiaries: children under 18 years of age, estimated at a population of 786’461 according to the 2013 census

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

Legal and policy achievements : 3 Laws on Protection and Treatment of Children and Juveniles in Criminal Proceedings adopted (covering the entire  country), 11 guidelines for professionals developed and endorsed by relevant ministries, Law on Primary Education in RS amended enabling children in detention equal right on education), needs of children in contact with law included as objectives in Justice Sector Reform Strategy on the State level

3’100 professionals trained in various institutions such as prosecutors’ offices, police, judiciary, and centres for social work

The piloting of a secondary prevention programme for children who are at-risk of harm or offending and for which care plans have been developed in 29 pilot schools, reaching 13’000 children

Establishment of 16 Municipal/ Cantonal/City Working groups (supported by NGOs) which developed their own actions plans to encourage the use of alternative measures and the implementation of secondary and tertiary prevention programmes

In terms of impact, the total number of juveniles diverted from formal proceedings increased from 40 (in 2012) to 116 (in 2016). There was also an overall decrease in children in conflict with the law, with a drop in an overall rate of recidivism from 14% in 2012 to 9.6% in 2016 

Phase 3 01.05.2018 - 31.05.2022   (Completed)