Social cohesion

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) has been actively engaged in strengthening social cohesion in the country since 2013, particularly at the local level. Early efforts centered on supporting informal community networks of civil society organizations (CSOs) and activists that addressed, on-going post-war hate- and bias-related incidents through local initiatives promoting unity and co-operation. While these networks played an important role in responding to incidents and fostering constructive dialogue, building on lessons learned, the Mission recently began focusing on strengthening existing, well-established local CSOs and partners that contributed to the establishment of institutional mechanisms that better connect citizens and strengthen community cohesion. 

The Mission also encourages the active participation of civil society in the design and implementation of other local policies; in securing the commitment of public officials to sustained and inclusive engagement with civil society on strategic and day to day community challenges; in strengthening co-operation and co-ordination among local stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of intra- and inter-community initiatives. 

Other important aspects of the Mission’s social cohesion and trust-building work include: Supporting inclusive dialogue platforms that bring together civil society, local authorities, and the broader community including youth, women, and minority groups -- to identify common priorities and challenges  and to co-create solutions; seeking ways to promote durable and genuine reconciliation; enhancing the capacities of civil society and institutions to jointly design, implement, and monitor initiatives that strengthen community resilience, participatory governance and trust in institutions.