UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina Pre-Launch their National HeForShe Chapter

Sarajevo, 29 April 2026 - UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina pre-launched the HeForShe campaign, aimed at mobilizing men and boys as active allies in advancing gender equality through personal example, influence and concrete action. Through this event, leaders from various sectors were brought together to open a dialogue on how stronger alliances for a more equal society can be built in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to explore ways in which different actors can contribute to this initiative. 

The first public figure to support the HeForShe movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina is athlete and President of the Athletes’ Commission of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amel Tuka. 

“I have witnessed unequal opportunities for girls and women in and beyond sport from an early age: their visibility and media representation are significantly lower, pay and compensation gaps remain wide, and stereotypes and social norms continue to hinder the development of women’s sport. This is not only an injustice to women athletes — it is a loss for the entire community. HeForShe reminds us that equality is not a ‘women’s issue’ — it is a human issue. As a man, an athlete and a public figure, I have a responsibility to speak out and act,”  

The pre-launch event brought together representatives of institutions, the international community, civil society, as well as prominent individuals, providing an opportunity to exchange ideas and build connections ahead of the next steps in developing this initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

“Today we are not only launching a campaign — today we are talking about setting a direction and initiating a collective effort toward engaging men and boys in the effort for an equal society. We have gathered you here because each of you has influence — on decisions, narratives and what is considered acceptable in our society. This is a conversation about how that influence can be used to advance gender equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” - Jo-Anne Bishop, UN Women Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The launch of the campaign was also attended by Megan Gilgan, Director of UN Women’s Strategic Partnerships Division at the global level, who highlighted the campaign’s global achievements. 

“Today’s conversation comes at a critical time. Gender inequality remains, at its core, a governance and leadership gap. Globally, women hold just 30% of managerial positions and 27.2% of parliamentary seats. At the current pace, achieving parity in leadership could take nearly a century. These figures point to a clear reality: progress depends not only on empowering women, but also on how leadership, across institutions and sectors, chooses to act. Engaging men, particularly those in positions of influence with power to deliver change, is essential to accelerate change and strengthen institutional accountability”, said Gilgan.