Child welfare and support in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has implemented various financial measures to support children, though enforcement and systemic challenges persist.

In 2024, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy established a uniform newborn support payment of 1,000 KM per child. This program, which utilizes the ePorodilja online application for automated verification, is expected to have covered approximately 32,000 newborns with a total expenditure of roughly 32 million KM over its first two years. Officials have noted that while the program is becoming a stable budgetary policy, it cannot alone address broader demographic issues such as housing and childcare.

Separately, parents in the Federation face difficulties enforcing court-ordered alimony. Many non-paying parents avoid formal employment to evade these obligations, leaving the financial burden on the resident parent. While Republika Srpska implemented a law on temporary child support in April, advocates in the Federation have proposed creating an alimony fund to provide temporary state funds to children before seeking reimbursement from defaulting parents.