At the session of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina held on April 9, 2025, an amendment was adopted that classifies femicide as an aggravated form of the murder of a woman in the Criminal Code of FBiH. This is the result, among other things, of the months-long campaign “We Will Not Die in Silence,” led by the organization Glas žene from Bihać, together with associations from Tuzla, Cazin, Sanski Most, and Mostar, with support from the PRAGG project.

In the explanation of the proposed legal changes, it is stated, among other things:

“Article 26 of this Law introduces a new criminal offense—Aggravated Murder of a Woman—thereby establishing a specific criminal offense within the criminal legislation of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and strengthening the protection of women as a vulnerable category of the population. By introducing this specific offense, the legislators of the Federation of BiH are sending a clear social message about the importance of women in Bosnian society and at the same time emphasizing zero tolerance for violence against women.”
Following the adoption of these amendments by the Government, the next step is their consideration and adoption by the Parliament of the Federation of BiH.

According to current plans, the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH will review the Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of FBiH at its regular session scheduled for April 28, 2025.

It is worth recalling that the struggle to legally recognize femicide as a distinct criminal offense has been ongoing for years and has faced numerous obstacles, from fundamental misunderstandings to technical procedures. For example, the same draft law was withdrawn from the House of Representatives' session in February of this year due to a large number of amendments and the need for harmonization.

Neira Raković, coordinator of the “We Will Not Die in Silence” campaign, welcomed the Government’s decision in a statement for the portal odgovorno.ba and called on the Parliament to do its part.

“This decision is significant for all women in Bosnian society because it represents the first step toward creating the legal conditions for femicide—as a gender-based murder—to be prevented, investigated, proven, and prosecuted. Now it’s up to the FBiH Parliament to act,” Neira emphasized.
According to information shared by the organization Glas žene, around 60 cases of femicide have been recorded in the past five to six years, and in 2024 alone, 13 women were murdered in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their deaths are a stark reminder that femicide is not an isolated act but the most extreme form of gender-based violence—violence that occurs precisely because the victims are women.

Through the “We Will Not Die in Silence” campaign, Glas žene, supported by other associations, advocated for the legal recognition of femicide as a specific criminal offense. They organized actions, performances, and meetings with decision-makers. In October 2024, the campaign gained significant visibility through a partnership with the company Bingo Group. Their demands received widespread public support: around 100,000 citizens signed a petition calling for the inclusion of femicide in the Criminal Code of FBiH.

The adoption of the amendment by the Government of FBiH marks an important step. However, as emphasized by Glas žene, only after the law is passed by the Parliament will there be a foundation for femicide to be practically recognized and prosecuted as a specific criminal offense.

By introducing this offense into law, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina would join a small number of European jurisdictions that treat the aggravated murder of a woman as a distinct crime. Activists are calling on parliamentarians to show political will and responsibility and to adopt the law without delay.