A conference on the BiH Anti-Discrimination Law was held on 15th December 2015 in Sarajevo. The aim of the conference was to present a gap analysis, and to draw up a list of recommendations as part of the technical support to the reform process. It was organised within a Framework Contract funded by the EU under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, and implemented by B&S Europe experts.
In his opening remarks Jan Snaidauf, Head of the Political and Economic Section of the EU Delegation to BiH, underlined that human rights and the fight against discrimination represent core values of the EU.
Snaidauf concluded.
Semiha Borovac, Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH, reminded that two years ago, the European Commission called upon BiH authorities to comply with anti-discrimination legislation of the EU acquis. “I am happy to inform you that the Draft Law on Amendments and Changes to the BiH Anti-Discrimination Law was submitted to the Council of Ministers and will be reviewed at its next session“, said Borovac, adding that recommendations from this conference would be used for further improvement of the law.
EU expert Reyes Charle presented the BiH Anti-Discrimination Law in relation to the EU acquis, thus instigating a fruitful discussion with the representatives of BiH institutions and authorities, civil society and international organisations.
The BiH Anti-Discrimination Law came into force as the central legal instrument in the fight against discrimination and intolerance six years ago. However, in the context of alignment of the respective Law with the EU acquis and growing need to further enhance its implementation, this conference has underlined the importance of securing effective and proper implementation of anti -discrimination legislation. In that context, 2015 Report on BiH states that ‘effective protection of human rights is undermined by the uneven implementation of the anti-discrimination legislation and the absence of a country-wide anti-discrimination strategy’.
