OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

The 2023 Hate Crime Underreporting Survey for Bosnia and Herzegovina identified interpersonal insults and abuse in public places as a major concern. However, many victims do not report incidents to authorities due to various reasons. As a result, in order to obtain a systematic account of the potential problem, the survey asked respondents a series of questions about their experiences with the type of behaviour of concern—interpersonal insults, direct verbal assaults, offensive gestures, or harassment such as pestering or other intimidating behaviour—in public places in the previous year.

Sarajevo, 29 October 2026 – Genuine reconciliation and lasting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be achieved without the equal participation of all citizens, including national minorities whose perspectives have too often been excluded from political and public dialogue. This was the central message of the conference “Beyond the ‘Others’ – Inclusive Reconciliation and the Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, held today in Sarajevo.

Sarajevo, 29 October 2026 – Effectively addressing gender-based hate crime requires more than legislation, it demands clear legal definitions, consistent institutional practices and stronger co-operation to ensure accountability and meaningful protection for victims. This was the central message of the 2026 Annual Conference on Hate Crimes in South-East Europe, held today in Sarajevo.