Women’s civil society organizations in Bosnia-Herzegovina as local agents of international conventions on women’s rights. An analysis of challenges related to the process of norm diffusion

Abstract

Women’s rights have increasingly become an international concern and various in-ternational conventions on women’s rights came into being in the last decades. Bosnia-Herzegovina has signed and ratified all important international conven-tions relating to women’s rights, whereas the numerous women's civil society organ-izations continue to advocate for the proper implementation of conventions while helping women to claim their rights guaranteed in these conventions and locally enacted laws on gender equality. This article, based on interviews conducted be-tween August 2020 and June 2021 with members of women's civil society organiza-tions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, takes a closer look at the process of norm diffusion. In particular, this article aims to contribute to the understanding of the processes of norm implementation and the related challenges from the perspective of women’s civil society organizations in the specific context of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Political Empowerment of Women, Girls and LGBTQ+ People: Post-conflict Opportunities

“…Growing donor support for LGBTQ+ movements in Lebanon has focused on professionalization of CSOs and service provision, however, which has in some instances undermined the radical and confrontational potential of civil society to challenge the state (Nagle, 2020). In the case of BiH, women's groups that emerged during the war have also undergone a professionalization with international support, but have become crucial organisations advocating for gender equality and women's rights (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). At the same time, donor support can clash with local realities and perceptions: in BiH, there are concerns that human rights organisations, including those dealing with women's rights, are donor-driven, with misdirected priorities that do not address everyday needs (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022).…”

“…Bosnia and Herzegovina: Many women's CSOs (WCSOs) started informally during the war, with women initially forming groups to provide humanitarian aid to the population in need (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). After the war, many of these groups continued to work, alongside new groups that formed in order to meet the needs of foreign-funded reconstruction efforts (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022).…”

“…Bosnia and Herzegovina: Many women's CSOs (WCSOs) started informally during the war, with women initially forming groups to provide humanitarian aid to the population in need (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). After the war, many of these groups continued to work, alongside new groups that formed in order to meet the needs of foreign-funded reconstruction efforts (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). With the support of international donors, these women's groups have undergone a professionalization, becoming crucial actors advocating for gender equality and women's rights (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022).…”

“…After the war, many of these groups continued to work, alongside new groups that formed in order to meet the needs of foreign-funded reconstruction efforts (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). With the support of international donors, these women's groups have undergone a professionalization, becoming crucial actors advocating for gender equality and women's rights (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022).…”

“…They still play an important role in the processes of law harmonisation, raising awareness, monitoring, and assisting authorities for the successful implementation of the international conventions (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). WCSOs in BiH can thus be considered to be 'local agents' in the process of the diffusion of global norms (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022). Despite local legislation in line with international norms on women's rights, activists point to various problems with implementation: in particular, politicians, including female politicians, have largely been inactive and, in some cases, even act in contradiction to the new norms (Popov-Momčinović & Meier, 2022).…”