Minority rights

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Law on the Protection of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National Minorities of BiH recognizes 17 national minorities: Albanians, Montenegrins, Czechs, Italians, Jews, Hungarians, Macedonians, Germans, Poles, Roma, Romanians, Russians, Ruthenians, Slovaks, Slovenes, Turks and Ukrainians.

By definition, a national minority is a part of the population - citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who do not belong to any of the three constituent peoples, and is made up of people of the same or similar ethnic origin, the same or similar traditions, customs, beliefs, language, culture and spirituality and close or related history and other characteristics, which ensures the provision of basic rights for members of national minorities within the framework of BiH legislation.

The obligations of the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of Members of National Minorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina stipulate further affirmation, institutional protection of individual and collective rights of members of national minorities, their further national and civil emancipation, integration into all normal and legal social processes, relationships and flows, without discrimination and historical coexistence, coexistence with members and communities of constituent nations, majority nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

DOMESTIC LEGISLATION

INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION

Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe (2000)

By ratifying this Convention, Bosnia and Herzegovina undertook to ensure the rights of members of national minorities and the realization of their rights in accordance with European standards in the field of human rights.

European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages (2010)

By ratifying this Convention, Bosnia and Herzegovina assumed a significant obligation to preserve the language, heritage, culture and traditions of the national minorities living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to establish a structured policy and take flexible measures to implement the provisions of the Charter.

OKVIRNA KONVENCIJA ZA ZAŠTITU NACIONALNIH MANJINA

ECRML Educational Toolkit_hr

PARLIAMENTARY / ASSEMBLY BODIES

The Council of National Minorities are special advisory bodies that provide opinions, advice and proposals to Parliamentary/Assembly bodies on all issues concerning the rights, position and interests of national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, Councils can delegate experts for the work of constitutional commissions and the Joint Commission for Human Rights.