19/7/2002
Joint Human Rights Project For Bosnia And Herzegovina

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights are joining in a project to analyse the human rights situation in 48 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Working with national experts, their team of development and human rights specialists will gather information on civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights at the grassroots level - including such issues as women's equality, worker's rights and equal access to public services. The aim is to promote dialogue on human rights and development among national and international decision-makers, and to help shape new policies.

"This project is an encouraging example for the successful implementation of the human rights-based approach to development, and it is my sincere hope that more projects will follow", said UN High Commissioner Mary Robinson. Its findings promise to empower civil society, increase public awareness, and enhance transparency and accountability in government. They will also strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina's ability to prepare reports required by human rights treaty bodies.

This initiative represents the first such survey in the country, and the first the partners are implementing together. It is part of a larger process aimed at helping countries incorporate human rights considerations into long-term development strategies.