Bosnia and Herzegovina

2018

2025

2022

The highest possible score for a country is 100, and the lowest is -15. You can expand the different sections below to understand how the score was calculated for each indicator.

Indicator scores

Anti-Discrimination Legislation Applicable to Education

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Anti-LGBTQI Measures

The Anti-Discrimination law (2009) of Bosnia and Herzegovina [91] was amended in July 2016 and it prohibits discrimination in all aspects of public life, including education, employment, health careand provision of services. The document now contains an accurate definition of sexual orientation, gender identity and variations in sex characteristics, and specifies them as prohibited grounds of discrimination. The law, therefore, offers protection for LGBTQI learners.

Policies and Action Plans

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

No anti-bullying policy or national action plan: 0/10 | Anti-bullying policy or national action plan covering one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

There is no national anti-bullying plan. However, the government adopted an Action Plan for implementing several anti-discrimination measures in April 2016, which had been drafted by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Out of the thirty-two provisions contained in the document, six are directly addressed to protect LGBTQI people’s rights. Among other measures, the action plan specifically aims to reduce discrimination against LGBTQI people and organise institutional trainings on combating homophobia and prejudice. Sarajevo Open Centre, however, reports that none of these measures have been fully implemented as of yet.

Inclusive Compulsory Education Curricula

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

No evidence of compulsory national curricula inclusive of LGBTQI people: 0/10 | The compulsory national curricula includes representation of one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

According to civil society organisations, the national curriculum does not include LGBTQI issues.However, a subject called Healthy lifestyles [93] is offered as an alternative to religious education inSarajevo, one of the Cantons in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The content of this subjectincludes positive information on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Mandatory Teacher Training on LGBTQI Inclusion

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

No mention of SOGIGESC in the mandatory teacher training programme: 0/10 Mandatory teacher training program with mention of one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

There are no training courses on LGBTIQ topics within the institutions in charge of education, nor for the teachers or other staff, nor for the students. Sarajevo Open Centre has organised only one formal education for the teaching staff of high schools in one Canton (Unsko-sanski) in FBiH, with the support of the local Ministry of Education, but no further trainings have yet been planned (see Opposition).

School Environment and Inclusion

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Hostile environment

Hostile school environment and no government partnership with civil society: -5/10 | There is no evidence of the government providing funding or working in partnership with civil society: 0/10 | The government provides funding and works in partnership with civil society to promote inclusive education for one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

Although local civil society organisations work closely with the government to campaign for antidiscrimination measures, there is still no specific support in relation to education.

Legal Gender Recognition

/10

Legal gender recognition without self-determination

Legal gender recognition with self-determination (over 16)

Legal gender recognition with self-determination (under 16)

No gender recognition provisions: 0/10 | There are laws and provisions, but with legal/medical/psychological approval: 5/10 | There are laws for self-determination, but only for those over 16 years of age: 7,5/10 | There are laws on gender self-determination, including those under 16 years of age: 10/10

The Law on Personal Name FBiH (2012) [95] states that someone can change their name, including minors, if they have undergone gender reassignment procedures. Besides the gender reassignment procedures, they also need consent from their parents. People in the FBiH can only change the sex marker in their official documents after they have completed medical transition, but gender reassignment surgery is not available in Bosnia and Herzegovina and has to be undertaken abroad [96].The public health care system does not cover any of the costs.

Data Collection on Bullying and Harassment

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

There is no evidence of national or regional data collection on bullying and harassment in education environments, or SO, GIGE and SC are not specifically mentioned: 0/10 | National or regional data on bullying and harassment in education environments is collected and disaggregated for one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

The government does not provide data on homophobic, biphobic, transphobic and interphobic bullying. According to civil society organisations, information on discrimination is neither being collected nor analysed.

Sarajevo Open Centre has recently published studies on discrimination against LGBTQI people. In their latest report (2017) [97], 41,2% of respondents had experienced discrimination in their school on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or variations in sex characteristics.In their annual report [98], the organisation reports a rise in homophobia and transphobia and peer violence in educational institution (see Significant news).

Support Systems for Young People

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

There is no evidence of support systems specifically designed for LGBTQI learners: 0/10 | Direct or indirect support systems are provided by schools or local authorities, but the providers lack training in LGBTQI-related issues: 0/10 | Direct or indirect support systems are provided by schools or local authorities for one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

The government provides no specific support systems for LGBTQI learners or their families.

Information and Guidelines

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Anti-LGBTQI Measures

Policies prohibiting the presence of LGBTQI-related information are in place: -5/10 | Schools are not required to adopt inclusive education guidelines: 0/10 | Information or guidelines for LGBTQI inclusion adopted by schools that mention one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

There is no specific information or guidelines for LGBTQI learners or guidance for the education sector on how to address bullying and harassment against LGBTQI students.

International Commitments

/10

Member of the European Governmental LGBTI Focal Points Network

Ratified the UNESCO Ministerial Call to Action

Neither Member in the EFPN or ratification of the UNESCO Call for Action: 0/10 | Member of the EFPN or ratification of the UNESCO Call for Action: 5/10 | Member of the EFPN and ratification of the UNESCO Call for Action: 10/10

Bosnia and Herzegovina has not signed the Call for Action by Ministers – Inclusive and equitable education for all learners in an environment free from discrimination and violence.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a member of the European Governmental LGBTI Focal Points Network.

View the map scored by indicator

Grounds of discrimination

Here is the country's score on each ground of discrimination on which we based our observations for 8 of the 10 indicators presented above.

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

See the map scored by ground of discrimination

Country score evolution

2025

/100

2022

/100

2018

/100

To enable a meaningful comparison of country progress over time, we have retroactively aligned the scoring systems used in the 2018 and 2022 Editions of IGLYO’s LGBTQI Inclusive Education Index with the updated 2025 scoring criteria.
While each edition of the research has built on the previous one, reflecting evolving standards and priorities in inclusive education, minor changes to indicators and scoring weights were introduced in 2022 and 2025 to improve clarity, consistency, and comprehensiveness.
By recalculating the earlier scores according to the 2025 framework, we have tried to ensure comparability across all three editions and provide a more accurate picture of progress, stagnation, or regression in each country’s approach to LGBTQI-inclusive education.
For this reason, you might find some scores in the PDF Report & Index 2018 and 2022 differing from those on the Education website for these two years.

Good practices

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