At the session of the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina scheduled for today, March 17, 2026, delegates will consider the Draft Law on Amending the Law on the Rights, Obligations and Responsibilities of Patients in the Federation of BiH, which opens the possibility for women in the Federation of BiH to finally obtain the legal right to be accompanied by a trusted person during the entire birth process.

This draft law addresses a fundamental question: whether a woman has the right to be accompanied during childbirth.

The presence of a trusted person during childbirth is recommended by the World Health Organization and is standard in many European countries. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, women often still give birth alone, without the support of a loved one.

The House of Peoples has previously recognized the importance of this issue and adopted a conclusion ordering the competent institutions to analyze the possibilities of accompanying childbirth. The consideration of the draft law is an important continuation of that process.
Supporting the draft law is the first step towards opening a broader public debate on this issue, which goes beyond the organization of healthcare and concerns the dignity of women, patients' rights, and the way society approaches childbirth as one of the most important life events.

The Baby Steps Association, which has been working with pregnant women and mothers in Bosnia and Herzegovina for years, emphasizes that this is a topic that women throughout the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are following with great attention.

"For many women, this is not an abstract issue of politics or the system, but a question of the personal experience of childbirth, safety, and support in one of the most important moments of life," the Baby Steps Association says.

The session of the House of Peoples is being followed with particular attention by pregnant women, mothers, and their families throughout the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.