On its second attempt, the Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina was presented before the delegates of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament—and adopted, with 45 votes in favor. Previously, on May 29, the law had been unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives.

Thus, both chambers of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have adopted the Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which introduces femicide as a separate criminal offense punishable by a prison sentence of ten years or long-term imprisonment.

This means that femicide will no longer be treated as a “family tragedy,” an “isolated case,” or a “crime of passion,” but as a form of gender-based violence deserving the highest social condemnation and strict legal sanction.

However, the law cannot yet enter into force, as the versions adopted in the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples differ due to amendments. A joint parliamentary committee, consisting of members from both houses, must now harmonize the final text.

By introducing femicide as a specific criminal offense, the Federation of BiH joins a small number of European jurisdictions that treat the killing of a woman as a separate and particularly serious crime.

This legislative decision represents the result of years of advocacy by women, civil society organizations, experts, and citizens who have insisted on legal recognition of femicide and a systemic response to this form of violence. The campaign "We Will Not Die in Silence," led by the organization “Glas žene” Bihać in partnership with organizations from Tuzla, Cazin, Sanski Most, and Mostar, and with the support of the PRAGG project, played a key role in raising public awareness—evidenced by over 100,000 citizens who signed in support of the initiative to introduce femicide into the Criminal Code of FBiH.

“I’m proud and happy that we succeeded in amending the Criminal Code of FBiH to finally legally recognize femicide as a separate criminal offense. This is a historic moment for all women in our society in terms of protection from gender-based killings. This victory is the result of months of advocacy, community organizing, brave voices, and public pressure. It’s a shared victory of all those who lived this struggle with us over the past year. We will not stop here. We continue— for safety, dignity, and justice for every woman,” said Neira Raković, campaign coordinator of “We Will Not Die in Silence” and representative of “Glas žene” Bihać, after the House of Peoples session.

The adoption of this law sends a clear message: women's lives matter, violence against women will no longer be silenced, and perpetrators will be held accountable. This is not merely a legislative amendment—it is a recognition of the pain, suffering, and struggle of hundreds of women whose lives were marked by violence and whose stories have inspired change.

Although this is a major step forward for BiH society, the fight for a just and safe society for all women continues. Following the official adoption of the law, the more difficult task lies ahead—ensuring consistent implementation, educating the judiciary and police, and continuing institutional and societal support for women facing violence.

Civil society organizations have announced they will closely monitor the law’s implementation—and react when necessary.