Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina
2022 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor:

Moderate Advancement

In 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The Council of Ministers approved the 2021–2025 National Action Plan for the Social Inclusion of Roma, which aims to strength education access for Roma children, and the Anti-Trafficking Strike Force expanded its membership to include representatives from additional agencies. The Tuzla Cantonal Court also sentenced six offenders to a total of 74 years of imprisonment, a historical first for the judicial system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, children in Bosnia and Herzegovina are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including in forced begging. Social programs dedicated to assisting children involved in forced begging do not have adequate resources, and representatives from the Ministries of Labor are not included in the National Anti-Trafficking Strike Force, which limits coordination efforts. Furthermore, most child labor is in the informal sector, and laws on the minimum age for work do not meet international standards because they do not apply to children who are self-employed or those working outside of formal employment relationships.

Want this report plus over a thousand pages of research in the palm of
your hand? Download ILAB's Sweat & Toil App today!