There is not a single woman in the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) who holds the rank of general. Two women and 36 men, who hold the rank of brigadier, are awaiting appointments to these positions.
The decision should be made by the Presidency of BiH, as the Commander-in-Chief of the AFBiH.
The share of female soldiers in the AFBiH is twice as high compared to 15 years ago when they were formed.
How to get a rank?
Promotion to officer ranks in the AFBiH is handled by special military commissions.
In 2011, Mersida Mesetovic became the first brigadier in the history of the AFBiH, after spending 21 years in the army.
It is the last step before the rank of general, but she did not take it and today she is retired. The brigadier rank is currently held by two women and 38 men.
”In order to be promoted to the rank of general, you must meet the legal requirements, have a doctorate or national security school, and you must meet certain career requirements. Promotion to the rank of general is proposed by the Minister of Defense, and it is decided by the BiH Presidency. It’s up to us to meet the conditions,” told Major Jasmina Omerbegovic, advisor to the Chief of the Joint Staff of the AFBiH for gender issues.
As for civilian command and gender equality, Zeljka Cvijanovic(Alliance of Independent Social Democrats) was elected as the first female member of the BiH Presidency in the October 2022 elections, as the Supreme Commander of the AFBiH.
‘‘Gender equality does not mean that women and men are the same’‘
Omerbegovic told that gender equality does not mean that women and men are the same, “but that they have equal chances, rights, and are worth the same”.
What is the situation in other countries?
According to the latest NATO report on gender equality from 2020, about 13 percent of soldiers in 27 member states are women, and the highest percentage is in Hungary (20 percent) and the United States – U.S. (17.6), as well as Slovenia (16.9), and in Croatia and Montenegro, that share is about ten percent.
