Bosnia and Herzegovina has launched a new joint programme, financed by the Joint SDG Fund, to build a more resilient, inclusive, and climate-responsive labour market and social protection system. The initiative, titled Managing the Labour Market and Just Climate Transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina, brings together the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Federal Employment Institute, UNICEF, UN Women, the World Bank, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office to coordinate interventions that support workers and vulnerable households amid economic transformation and climate-related risks.
The programme aims to strengthen public employment services, improve labour market information systems, and develop mechanisms for climate- and shock-responsive social protection. It will pilot local models to reinforce employment services and expand support for those affected by industrial restructuring, changing skills demands, and frequent climate shocks. A strong gender lens is embedded throughout, ensuring that women, including those who are inactive or hard to reach, can access training, employment services, and economic opportunities created by green and digital transitions.
By enhancing labour market institutions, analytical capacity, and coordination across employment policies and social protection systems, the programme seeks to help workers adapt to emerging trends, manage disruptions, and benefit from the green transition. Implemented jointly by UNICEF, the World Bank, and UN Women in partnership with national and local institutions, the initiative is part of the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, aiming to ensure inclusive and sustainable employment outcomes across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
