Employed women in Bosnia and Herzegovina often face mobbing – harassment in the workplace – whether it is subtle forms of discrimination or open psychological pressure, belittling, and isolation. In addition, women victims of mobbing rarely decide to report it. The reasons for this are numerous – long and exhausting processes of proving, fear of revenge from the employer or colleagues, and the belief that nothing will change - which, in the end, can be connected to the fact that this topic is rarely discussed in public, since there are no examples of positive outcomes or successful applications.

Research shows that women in BiH are more susceptible to discrimination at all stages of employment and work – from the content of job advertisements, where they are sometimes asked not to plan for motherhood, to job interviews, lower salaries compared to male colleagues, obstacles to advancement, and sexual harassment. One possible solution to this problem is the adoption of legislation that recognizes the concept of mobbing in the workplace, which was done in Republika Srpska in 2021 when the Law on Protection from Harassment at Work was adopted. Unfortunately, its application is limited, and female workers remain unprotected. No such law has been passed in the Federation of BiH. Both facts indicate the importance of raising this issue in the BiH public.

What do female workers, victims of mobbing in BiH, say?

"I work in a private company where no female worker has basic rights, not even the right to express an opinion on any issue. In that company, out of five toilets, only one has water. Can you imagine 300 women who have to use only one toilet! If there is a rebellion, it is immediately called out in front of the entire production, where we are publicly shamed, belittled, and insulted. It is difficult to remain silent, and we have to keep our jobs."

(NN, 43)

"I reported harassment at work to the company's authorities. It's not that my problem hasn't been resolved, but now my employment contract won't be extended either! I welcome the initiative to pass such an important Law on Protection from Harassment at Work in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will put this painful issue within the legal framework."

(NN, 40)

"I don't think seeking justice at work is possible, especially in the private sector. Everything is turned upside down and we are asked to be grateful if we have a job at all. You can't ask for your salary, otherwise, you are "disobedient". This has become a slave society, and we don't have a law in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina that would protect us. How many people have become ill due to harassment at work, where we spend almost half of our lives."

(NN, 50)

The organization "Stop Mobbing", which deals with protecting workers from harassment, warns that the key is education, raising awareness, and insisting on consistent application of the law. If society does not start to approach this problem seriously, women will continue to be forced to choose between enduring mobbing at work and leaving the workplace/leaving their jobs. As part of the project "Protection of Women from Harassment at Work - Normative or Real", the organization "Stop Mobbing" is actively working on promoting and monitoring the implementation of the Law in the RS, as well as advocating that the legislative authorities in the Federation of BiH, following the example of the RS, urgently pass such a law because it concerns every employed person.

"Even despite legal solutions, such as the one in the Republika Srpska where there is a Law on Protection from Harassment at Work, it is worrying that harassment at work as a phenomenon has not subsided nor has the number of reports from workers increased significantly after the adoption of the Law. An environment in which harassment is kept quiet, hidden, supported, and not sanctioned is not an environment that encourages work and development, and from numerous comments from citizen,s we see how pervasive harassment of women at work is. It is necessary to promote the provisions of the Law on Protection from Harassment at Work in the Republika Srpska more strongly so that such information reaches the target group and the Law on Protection from Harassment at Work in the Federation of BiH is adopted as soon as possible,” added Anica Ramić, president of the association “Stop Mobbing”.

Is it time for a change?