Gender equality is a basic prerequisite for respect of human rights. Women are entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from want and from fear. Empowerment of women is a powerful tool for development, reduction of poverty, improvement of health outcomes and productivity of families.

To address the issue of high prevalence rate of violence against women and girls in BiH, UNFPA is helping communities understand and challenge social norms that create inequalities between women and men. In line with that, UNFPA advocates for new approaches to gender roles of men and women, overcoming the violent patterns of behavior. In addition to that, UNFPA provides evidence and analysis of the causes and effects of gender-based violence on women and girls, as well as strengthening the capacity of relevant institutions to address gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence.