On the occasion of marking two years of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Government’s mandate, the results of work were also presented by the Federal Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Adnan Delic.
As stated in the press release from this Ministry, through intensive activity in the area of regulations, strategic planning, increased social allocations, and digital transformation, the Ministry has fundamentally improved the institutional framework of labor and social protection, launched a reform of access to the labor market, and strengthened support intended for vulnerable groups in society.
In the area of strengthening the legislative framework over the past two years, more than twenty laws and by-laws have been adopted, placed into procedure, or fully prepared for adoption procedure.
Among the adopted laws are the Law on Unified Principles and Framework of Material Support for Persons with Disabilities in FBiH, as well as the first Law on the Protection of Civilian Victims of War in FBiH. Amendments to the Labor Law were also adopted, allowing regular students to work legally, three amendments to the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance which allow for simultaneous receipt of a pension and continued employment, as well as measures to protect the pension fund from abuse.
The Law on Material Support to Families with Children in FBiH was also amended, further strengthening the child protection system.
Currently in the procedure are important laws such as the Law on Mediation in Employment and Social Security of Unemployed Persons, the Law on Amendments to the Law on the Employment of Foreigners, the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, the Law on the Activity of Psychologists, and the Draft Law on Social Services.
At the same time, the Ministry is preparing several important laws which will soon be ready for further procedure, among them the new Labor Law, the Law on a Unified Methodology for Creating Social Maps, the Law on the Basics of Professional Work in the Social and Child Protection System, as well as amendments to the Law on Caregiver Parents, the Law on Foster Care, and the Law on the Establishment of the Institute for Social Protection.
As they state, along with a strong legislative drive, the Ministry entered a period of record budget growth. The total budget increased from 490 million in 2023 to 592 million BAM in 2025, opening the space for a significant increase in social allocations.
Just for child allowance, 166 million BAM is allocated annually, while 36 million BAM is allocated for caregiver parents, 285 million BAM for persons with disabilities, and around 20 million BAM for civilian victims of war. The amounts of child allowance have increased from 117 to 190 BAM, while payments to caregiver parents have risen from 619 to 1.000 BAM.
As a concrete measure of support to families, a one-time financial assistance program for newborns was launched, covering nearly 16.000 babies with a total value of 16 million BAM. In partnership with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through assistance mechanisms for energy-poor households, more than 64 million BAM was distributed, of which 45.5 million was directed to households with pensioners. Including one-time assistance of nearly 38 million, 2 million in support for spa treatment, and about half a million in other forms of support for the work of pensioners’ associations, the Ministry allocated more than 85 million for support to pensioners.
In the area of strategic planning, the Ministry adopted key development documents that represent a new social architecture of the FBiH. The Employment Strategy 2021–2027 was adopted, the Development Strategy for the Social and Child Protection System 2024–2030, and the Action Plan for Deinstitutionalization 2025–2030. Pending adoption are the Strategy for the Improvement of Rights and Position of Persons with Disabilities, the Demographic Recovery and Development Strategy of the FBiH for the period 2025–2032, the Action Plan for the Transformation of the PazaricInstitution, the Youth Guarantee Action Plan in FBiH was adopted and sent to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and an Action Plan for the Elderly is in preparation.
Special focus was placed on the introduction of a universal child allowance, for which a comprehensive feasibility study was completed. The Ministry also opened the first Center for Support to Foster Care in Tuzla, launched the home care assistant program as a form of free in-home assistance for elderly persons and persons with disabilities, and implemented extensive education programs for foster parents and professional workers in social work centers.
In crisis situations, the Ministry responded quickly and effectively, creating together with UNICEF BiH the Assessment of Social Protection Capacity in Emergencies, and enabled emergency support to flooded areas in the amount of 600.000 BAM.
The modernization and digitalization of the Ministry’s work was one of the strategic priorities. Digital tools were developed such as e-Porodilja for digital processing of applications, e-Award software for managing the payment of entitlements, the eCalculator for calculating pensions, as well as the “Gledaj sebi posla” app for employment mediation. The development of a central register of social rights and services in FBiH is in its final stage. The Ministry’s website was redesigned, and the work of the Ministry was standardized in accordance with ISO 9001:2015. Ministerial coordination for the field of social policy in FBiH was also established, as well as the Children’s Council of the FBiH as bodies that systematically connect actors in the social protection system.
The Ministry has also actively worked on strengthening public dialogue on important social topics through the organization of campaigns and events, including the job fair “Gledaj sebi posla,” marking Children’s Week, the campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women,” a donor evening to empower women leaving safe houses, and initiatives to involve men and boys in the fight against violence.
“Two years of the Ministry’s mandate have been marked by a clear vision, strategic consistency, and a deep understanding of the needs of a society in transition. Thanks to these steps forward, the Ministry has laid the foundations for a long-term transformation of the system of social protection, labor, and employment in the FBiH,” the statement said.
