IFDT publishes report on employed mothers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory has published the results of a study examining the reconciliation of private and professional life among employed mothers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research was conducted between January and June 2025 within the project “Career and Mom” (CAM2025), funded by the European Union through the CERV programme.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the structural challenges faced by working mothers in BiH, with a particular focus on the relationship between the formal legal framework, institutional policies, and their implementation in everyday practice. Findings demonstrate a discrepancy between legally guaranteed rights and their actual enforcement, especially in the areas of parental leave, access to flexible working arrangements, and protection from workplace discrimination. The study employed an analysis of strategic documents and legal regulations, an online survey with 430 employed mothers in BiH, and focus group discussions with mothers.
The report identifies several key issues:
- Gap between the normative framework and practice – although laws formally guarantee a range of rights, their implementation remains inconsistent and uneven. Entities and cantons apply divergent models of maternity benefits and leave, producing inequalities among mothers and reinforcing gender asymmetries within families.
- Restricted flexibility of working arrangements – opportunities for flexible work remain limited, making the reconciliation of family and professional obligations particularly difficult.
- Exposure to discriminatory practices – numerous instances of discrimination against pregnant women and mothers were recorded, including dismissals due to pregnancy, denial of promotion, and restricted professional opportunities. More than half of the women from our sample (52%) reported having personally experienced or directly witnessed unfavourable treatment at work during pregnancy or upon return from maternity leave. A high level of distrust in institutions was also noted, as mothers rarely report violations of their labour rights.
- Low involvement of fathers in early parenthood – prevailing social and cultural norms continue to discourage men from exercising parental leave and from active engagement in early childcare. Almost all women from our sample (96%) stated that they had not shared parental leave with their partner or the child’s father.
Drawing on these findings, the report offers a set of evidence-based recommendations aimed at strengthening the protection of working mothers’ rights and promoting more equitable work–life balance policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The full report “Career and Mom – where ambitions grow together with the family nest” is available on the official project website (scroll down for the English version).
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission [granting authority]. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.