LGBTQI Inclusive Education Map | Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Anti-LGBTQI Measures

The Law on Prohibition of Discrimination (2009, amended in 2016) of Bosnia and Herzegovina prohibits discrimination in all aspects of public life, including education, employment, healthcare and provision of services (Article 2), stating that in education, science and sports “access to education should not depend on the immigration status of children or their parents”. The prohibition includes, among others, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The law, therefore, offers protection for LGBTQI students.

ECRI has noted however that civil society organisations have stated that, in their view, the application of the relevant anti-discrimination legislation needs to be further improved. Moreover, under the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, there is an obligation to harmonise laws at the entity and cantonal levels with the state-level legislation. However, not all relevant laws at the different levels currently include sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics as grounds on which discrimination is prohibited.

Article 12 of the Law on Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina (adopted in 2003) also prohibits discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation.

Likewise, in 2016, amendments to the Criminal Code were approved by the Federation of B&H (published in the Official Gazette on 15 June, 2016) which establishes hate crime provisions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity (similar legislation already existed in the Republika Srpska and the Brcko District). In 2024, hate speech based on SOGI was introduced as an offence in the criminal code of the Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In April 2025, gender identity was removed from all provisions of the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska.

Due to high levels of decentralisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, education is regulated within multiple laws, with thirty laws on education existing in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina alone. Primary, secondary and higher education is regulated at the cantonal level (with 10 laws on primary school education, 10 laws on secondary school education and 10 laws on higher education). The Republika Srpska has its own Law on Primary School Education, Law on Secondary School Education and Law on Higher Education. The Brcko District also has a unique Law on Primary and Secondary School.

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

In 2018, the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH prepared a draft Action Plan for Equality of LGBTI People in BiH (2018-2020). The action plan was initially welcomed by the Government of the Federation of BiH, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2019, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women recommended that Bosnia and Herzegovina take action to respect the human rights of LBT women and ensure that national action plans on gender equality address stigma and discrimination against them in all spheres of life. At the end of the same year, a preparatory meeting was held to develop an LGBTQI Action Plan. This unofficial working group was supported by the Joint Project “Promotion of Diversity and Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina” of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU). The unofficial nature of the working group was caused by the fact that not all governmental entities agreed to its creation. Civil society was involved in the discussion.

The state Action Plan to Improve the State of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of LGBTI People in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2021-2024 (hereinafter LGBTI Action Plan) was adopted in 2022. In February 2024, the Council of Ministers of BiH brought forward a conclusion extending the implementation of the LGBTI Action Plan until the end of 2025. The LGBTI Action Plan addresses hate speech, freedom of assembly, family law, transgender rights, prejudice and stereotyping. Strategic objective 3.1 of the Action Plan envisions that the government should “Implement activities in educational institutions to prevent prejudice and stereotypes about LGBTI people”.

The Action Plan is also one of the steps taken by the government towards bringing human rights protections in the country in line with EU standards. The plan should, inter alia, pave the way towards the regulation of same-sex partnerships and help trans people obtain access to medical services and legal gender recognition. The Action Plan was a follow-up from a 2016 anti-discrimination report of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CSOs have stated that they are pleased with the Action Plan, but remain cautious as to whether its implementation will indeed be carried out as envisaged.

ECRI has encouraged the authorities to take all necessary steps to implement the Action Plan effectively, including through the allocation of appropriate resources to the implementing bodies and partners.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Science in its Annual Work Plan for 2024, as well as the Three-Year Work Plan for the period 2024-2026, included an activity called "Supporting projects to remove prejudices of young people towards the LGBTI population".

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

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOGIGESC issues are not part of mandatory national curricula and are reported to sometimes be addressed in a stereotypic or negative way by teaching staff. Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to have no mandatory sex education curricula.

Human rights education is implemented through the subject “Democracy and Human Rights”. However, civil society reports that it may not be provided nation-wide in all administrative units. Furthermore, the subject does not include the discussion of discrimination on the basis of SOGIGESC or the inclusion of LGBTQI rights.

In the Republika Srpska, LGBTQI topics are included in primary and secondary school curricula. Civil society has reported that the inclusion of these topics has led to increased acceptance of diversity among schoolchildren.

In the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina, LGBTQI topics are not taught in school due to fears that insufficient education of school staff (principals, professional associates and teachers), lack of information and materials on access and needs of the LGBTQI population would lead to an inadequate and insufficiently professional approach in the implementation of activities.

An analysis of the content of textbooks for secondary schools in the Canton of Sarajevo (gymnasiums and secondary medical schools) has determined that topics related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and LGBTQI rights and freedoms are covered in an insufficient number of teaching units and, to a significant extent, in ways that are discriminatory. In most curricula, these topics are viewed through the prism of biological sex, and homosexuality is mostly interpreted as deviation and perversion. There is little to no mention of LGBTQI people’s rights and of the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The terminology used in textbooks is inconsistent, often outdated, and incorrect, and does not follow global guidelines when it comes to respecting the rights of the LGBTQI community. The distinction between sex and gender is not made, except in rare, isolated examples, while men and women are usually depicted through gender roles and binary oppositions. One positive example comes from the book “Healthy Lifestyles” that is used in primary schools in Canton of Sarajevo, which mentions topics surrounding reproductive health and gender issues and developing positive attitudes and values.

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

The education system remains unsafe and unsupportive towards LGBTQI students, who still face high levels of violence and discrimination in the school environment. A study found that 20% of the general population believes that people who are known to be LGBTQI should not be part of the staff of educational institutions.

A 2023 research conducted by the Sarajevo Open Centre found that discrimination at school and/or at the workplace was the most important challenge faced by LGBTQI respondents. This research showed that 18% of LGBTQI young people had dropped out of university education, and that 38% of LGBTQI people who came out during their time in education had noticed a change in their relationship with colleagues and teaching staff after coming out. 5% of LGBTQI respondents also reported having experienced discrimination in education and 81%nbelieved that the teaching staff is not sufficiently aware of or sensitised to LGBTQI topics.

In its Report on the Implementation of the LGBTI Action Plan in Bosnia and Herzegovina (reporting period July 2022 - December 2022), the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina reported that “research confirms that prejudice and stereotypes towards LGBTI persons are present, and LGBTI persons suffer harassment, mistreatment and discrimination as a result. Despite the legislation that prohibits discrimination based on SOGIGESC, almost half (49%) of the respondents stated that they had been discriminated against in the past 12 months. Transgender persons are even more at risk (80%). Discrimination occurs both in the education system and in the workplace, which prevents LGBTI persons from making their full contribution to the development of the society in which they live.”

Civil society organisations report that although they are not explicitly banned, they are not aware of any example of LGBTQI groups within educational premises.

Within the past four years there has been a public discussion about and opposition against the inclusion of LGBTQI issues in the school curriculum.

The above information demonstrates that the government does not provide funding, nor does it actively work in partnership with NGOs in relation to education.

View the map scored by indicator

Grounds of discrimination

Here is the country's score for 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.
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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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/100

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YEAR

/100

2022

Europe Average

30.6

/100

European Union Average

41.6

/100