CSO SUSTAINABILITY: 3.7

The political instability that characterized Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in 2011 continued throughout 2012. Local elections in October and the consequent shifts in alliances among leading political parties led to the dissolution of the government of the Federation of BiH as well as several cantonal parliaments.

This political instability led to a decrease in CSO sustainability. Notably, CSOs’ advocacy impact declined. Public image has also decreased, driven by a lack of understanding of the sector’s work among the general population. Financial viability remains the most problematic dimension of sustainability as CSOs struggle to diversify their funding and compete for EU funds.

There is still a lack of reliable data on the number of CSOs operating in the country. The last available estimate, which put the size of the sector at around 12,000 CSOs, comes from a 2008 analysis of the civil society sector in BiH by Kronauer Consulting.