Although young people are increasingly featured in various strategic documents, the support they receive from institutions in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is often limited to social measures that merely alleviate consequences, rather than representing long-term investments in their potential. Currently, only one-third of municipalities and cantons in FBiH allocate funds for youth, and the Youth Transfer provided by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports had remained at a minimal BAM 400,000 for nearly a decade, only to be increased in 2025 to still insufficient BAM 600,000.

In addition, budget processes in which decisions about youth funding are made remain non-transparent and closed to the public—especially to young people themselves. Even though the FBiH Law on Youth prescribes their participation in decision-making processes, in practice, very few young people are genuinely involved in decisions related to fund allocation.

Such an environment contributes to growing apathy among youth. More than half of them feel they have no real influence on decisions that directly affect them, which further undermines their motivation to engage in civic life.

In an effort to change this practice, the Youth Council of the Federation of BiH has launched a campaign called #transFERzaMLADE, aiming to increase the Youth Transfer to at least BAM 1,000,000 and to establish clear and simple criteria for fund allocation, including the mandatory involvement of youth representatives in decision-making committees.

How many of us actually know how decisions about youth budgets are made? Who writes those numbers, who decides where the money goes, and why are young people so often not even mentioned in these processes? With the #transFERzaMLADE campaign, we want to open space for a conversation about what the budgeting process looks like, how involved young people are, and why their participation matters. Not to criticize, but to understand and drive change—together, the Youth Council of FBiH stated on their official Facebook page.

Additionally, the Youth Council of FBiH emphasizes the need to launch an initiative for the digitalization of the application process for public calls, as well as the creation of a joint platform that would facilitate communication and cooperation between young people and institutions. They noted that, during meetings with cantonal ministries, the need to strengthen the capacities of youth organizations and improve strategic documents concerning youth was also highlighted.

At a time when young people are increasingly leaving the country in search of better opportunities elsewhere, it is crucial to show that there are mechanisms through which they can actively participate in shaping the decisions that affect their everyday lives.