FINANCIAL MECHANISM FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF GENDER ACTION PLAN OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (“FIGAP”) AND OTHER DONORS SUPPORTING WOMEN IN SPORTS

Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Organisation responsible: Gender Equality Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Main topic addressed: Gender equality in participation (grassroots or elite sport)

Type of resource/practice: Awareness-raising initiatives / materials

Discipline: Multi-sport

Target group(s): Sportswomen with focus on marginalised categories

Timing: Established in 2009

Language: Bosnian

Brief description of the practice: 

Due to insufficient regular budget means to implement strategies and policies in gender equality and further to the initiative of the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH, the Financial mechanism for Implementation of Gender Action Plan of BiH (FIGAP) was established, thereby ensuring additional funds for the systemic gender mainstreaming. Three international donors - Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Austrian Development Agency and Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation - allocated funds to the FIGAP programme of around 2.7 million Euros. The funds from the FIGAP programme were allocated to the institutions, non-governmental organisations, and the academic community for the implementation of activities from the BiH Gender Action Plan, including projects on the inclusion of women and girls in sport.

For example, funds were granted to the "Sport Against Violence" project,  implemented by the non-governmental organisations “Women in Sport – WinS” from Banja Luka and the Association for the Development and Promotion of Women's Sports in RS and BiH, or to the Women’s Basketball Club “Bambi”, where the funds supported a team including women with disabilities.

By supporting the work of sports clubs, especially for male-dominated sports, the funds contributed to overcoming the stereotypes and prejudices, and provided opportunities for equal participation of women in all sports.

Further information: http://arsbih.gov.ba/project/cedaw-izvjestaj/

Contact person: Samra Filipović-Hadžiabdić, director of Gender Equality Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina [email protected]