National Human Development Report 2020: Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The National Human Development Report 2020: Social Inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina was produced by the United Nations Development Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina with support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Bosnia and Herzegovina aiming to assess and to trigger a debate on social inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The report approaches social inclusion from the perspective of the dynamics of the interaction between an individual and his or her social, legal and economic environment. Asking whether a person is able to participate equally in society leads to the identification of gaps and barriers to participation.

The assessment of social inclusion in this report is connected to the concept and measurement of human development and to the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ that is enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Transposition of the Single-use Plastics Directive, and its Impact on the Economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

While plastics are a convenient material, littered plastics cause environmental damage and negatively impact economic activities such as tourism, fisheries and shipping. Under the European Green Deal, the EU is creating a circular economy, where plastics are used in a more sustainable way, re-used and recycled, and not creating waste or pollution.

Directive (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment is an essential element of the Circular Economy Action Plan, and was transposed into national law and applied as of 3 July 2021.

This report is part of UNDP’s efforts to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and creating a low-carbon, circular economy. It offers an overview of the transposition status of the Directive in several EU member states and countries from the region of South-East Europe, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Report also treats the impact of the Directive’s implementation on domestic economy and showcases the private sector’s readiness to adapt to new legislative and market circumstances through several case studies.

COVID-19 Response in Bosnia and Herzegovina – 2020 Activity Report

The COVID-19 pandemic was a test to cooperation and partnerships and showed, more starkly than ever, how we must respond collectively and in new, more flexible ways to complex and unprecedented global challenges.

In 2020, UNDP managed to procure and by 31 December deliver more than 9.1 million items of essential life-saving medical equipment and supplies, funded by 15 domestic and international partners. In parallel to supporting the response of the health systems, UNDP contributed to crisis management and coordination, understanding the socioeconomic impact and supported business continuity and job retention.

UNDP's work and the results achieved were made possible by the strong partnerships with international organisations and domestic institutions with a shared goal in mind: to save and protect the lives of all people in country.

Economic Impact Assessment of COVID-19 in BiH

The Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) report presents an overview of the current state of the BiH economy, with an emphasis on the economic situation of vulnerable social groups and industry-level consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this rapid assessment is to identify the impact of the COVID-19 containment measures such as quarantine, closing of businesses and the disruption of global supply chains on the BiH economy as well as business sector responses to this shock.

Finally, the objective is to identify options to address such impact for the private sector. Particular attention is paid to SMEs, export-oriented companies, as well as those in the services sector and agriculture/food production.

The assessment report is intended to inform relevant stakeholders for the purpose of their response and recovery interventions to help minimize the negative impacts on companies, institutions, communities and the society.

COVID-19 and Human Development: Assessing the Crisis, Envisioning the Recovery

“The world has seen many crises over the past 30 years, including the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-09. Each has hit human development hard but, overall, development gains accrued globally year-on-year,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “COVID-19 – with its triple hit to health, education, and income – may change this trend.”

Global human development – which can be measured as a combination of the world’s education, health and living standards – could decline this year for the first time since the concept was introduced in 1990, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warned. Concerted action with a focus on equity could still limit the impacts of this unprecedented crisis: closing the digital divide would reduce by more than two-thirds the number of children currently not learning because of school closures.

Read the "COVID-19 and Human Development"

What we do

UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.