Executive branch must have 40 percent female ministers

The Women's Network of BiH and the Initiative for Monitoring European Integration of BiH have sent a request to all parliamentary parties for the full implementation of the Law on Gender Equality of BiH, insisting that governments must have at least 40 percent female ministers, reports the Patria News Agency.

The Women's Network of BiH previously, on October 21, 2014, sent a request to all parliamentary parties, and to the secretaries of all legislative bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, requesting the full implementation of the Law on Gender Equality of BiH when forming governments at all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the content of the request, full implementation of the Law on Gender Equality, which promotes and guarantees the representation of women, as the less represented gender, at all levels of government organization, was requested from the authorities.

In the process of forming a new government, the Women's Network of BiH and the Initiative for Monitoring European Integration of BiH demand and expect full respect and consistent application of the Law on Gender Equality from the parties, and therefore insist that governments must be represented by a minimum of 40 percent female ministers at the cantonal, entity, and state levels.

These two coalitions will continue to persistently demand from the authorities that the less represented gender be truly elected to governments, and will seek amendments to the existing Election Law so that for the next general elections, there is not only equal representation of genders of at least 40 percent on election lists, but also in the assemblies/parliaments themselves. Only then will the Law on Gender Equality be respected, say the Women's Network of BiH and the Initiative for Monitoring European Integration of BiH.