ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON THE ECONOMY AND LIVING CONDITIONS OF MARGINALIZED POPULATION GROUPS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA SEPTEMBER 2020, SARAJEVO This analysis was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and CARE International. Published by: CARE International in the Balkans 11 Hasana Kaimije Street, 71000 Sarajevo Authors: Haris Ćatić Mirza Pale Creative Development and Engineering Solutions (CEDES) Contributors: Sumka Bučan Azra Junuzović Branislav Tanasijević disabilities is the city of Goražde. Programs aimed at their economic empowerment Executive should enable activities that targeted pop- ulations already perform in the household to summary be commercialized; to enable them to gen- erate additional income without a formal organization (for example, craft compa- The assessment of the impact COVID-19 ny). It is recommended to develop policies pandemic on the BiH economy was con- and concrete measures at different levels ducted to recommend feasible measures of government in BiH (including local com- to address the socioeconomic effects of munities) aimed at assiting vulnerable pop- the pandemic on the most vulnerable pop- ulations and those who work in the informal ulation groups in 10 municipalities of BiH. The sector, thus do not have the right to benefit assessment serves as a guideline for stake- from the employment bureau or other ex- holders to design and implement effective isting formal assistance. At the state, entity, measures to assist vulnerable populations. cantonal and even the municipal level no The focus of the analysis differs for municipal- formal support specifically targeting vulner- ities and activities of partner CSOs operat- able populations was designed. Unless the ing in specific contexts: The analysis focuses government of BiH will not introduce con- on the consequences of the pandemic on crete, supportive measure targeting vulner- the Roma population in the local self-gov- able populations in BiH, those populations ernment units of Bijeljina, Visoko, Prnjavor, will continue to depend on non-profit non- Vukosavlje, Vitez and Travnik; on vulnera- state actors such as local CSOs to sustain ble women in the municipalities of Modriča, their basic needs. Bratunac and Rudo; and on people with Content List of graphs:.....................................................................................................................5 List of acronyms.................................................................................................................5 1. Introduction............................................................................................................6 1.1. Methodology............................................................................................................6 2. Impact of COVID-19 on the socioeconomic situation in BiH in general............7 2.1. The impact of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic status of vulnerable groups....9 2.2. Measures undertaken by the BiH governments..................................................10 3. The impact of Covid-19 on specific vulnerable groups in 10 local partner com- munities.......................................................................................................................12 3.1. The impact of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic situation of Roma...................12 3.1.1. Bijeljina......................................................................................................................12 3.1.2. Vitez and Travnik......................................................................................................14 3.1.3. Prnjavor....................................................................................................................15 3.1.4. Vukosavlje...............................................................................................................16 3.1.5. Visoko.......................................................................................................................17 3.2. The impact of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic situation of the female popu- lation in vulnerable groups..............................................................................................18 3.2.1. Modriča...................................................................................................................18 3.2.2. Bratunac..................................................................................................................19 3.2.3. Rudo.........................................................................................................................20 3.2.4. The impact of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic situation of persons with dis- abilities..............................................................................................................................21 4. Recommedations and conclusions.....................................................................23 Recommedations...........................................................................................................23 Conclusions.......................................................................................................................23 Sources..............................................................................................................................25 List of List of graphs: acronyms: Graph 1. Bijeljina Roma population BHAS – BiH agency for Statistics Graph 2. Officially employed – Roma popu- EU – European Union lation Bijeljina GDP – Gross domestic product Graph 3. Vitez Roma population IMF – International Monetary Fund Graph 4. Travnik Roma population UNDP - United Nations Development Pro- Graph 5. Number of employed in the mu- gramme nicipalities of Vitez and Travnik ICT – Information and communication Graph 6. Number of employed in the Mu- technology nicipality of Prnjavor PWDs – People (living) with disabilities Graph 7. Number of employed in the Mu- WB - World Bank nicipality of Vukosavlje SME - Small and medium-size enterprises Graph 8. Population age structure of the RS – Republika Srpska Municipality of Modriča CA – Citizens’ association Graph 9. Number of employed/unem- BAM – BiH convertible mark ployed members of the CSO Budućnost PI - Public institution Modriča – vulnerable groups BPC - Bosansko-Podrinjski Canton, Goražde Graph 10. Population age structure of the PWD -People with disabilities. Municipality of Bratunac CSO – Civil society organization Graph 11. Number of employed/unem- ployed members of association Maja Kravi- ca – vulnerable populations Graph 12. Population age structure of the Municipality of Rudo Graph 13. Number of employed/unem- ployed members of the association CSO Luna Graph 14. Persons with disabilities - em- ployed/unemployed of BPK-Goražde 5 appropriate measures to assist vulnerable populations in providing their means of sub- 1. Introduction sistence by defining economic assistance packages for vulnerable populations, the focus of the analysis differs for certain munic- ipalities and activities of partner CSOs oper- The project Innovative Approach to Re- ating in specific contexts. Thus, the analysis sponding to COVID-19 in Vulnerable Com- focuses on the consequences of the pan- munities in Bosnia and Herzegovina includes demic on the Roma population in the local a comprehensive and inventive methodol- self-government units of Bijeljina, Visoko, ogy for overcoming the current pandemic. Prnjavor, Vukosavlje, Vitez and Travnik. The To respond to the needs of the most vulner- focus is on vulnerable women in the munic- able groups, an assessment of the impact of ipalities of Modriča, Bratunac and Rudo, the COVID-19 pandemic on the BiH econ- while the focus of the analysis on people omy and an assessment of the most vul- with disabilities is the City of Goražde. nerable groups were made with the aim of proposing feasible measures to address the socioeconomic effects of the pandemic. This analysis is focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 10 municipalities 1.1. Methodology of BiH: Prnjavor, Vukosavlje, Vitez, Travnik, Visoko, Bijeljina, Rudo, Bratunac, Modriča and Goražde. To ensure the sustainabili- The methods used for the implementation ty of project activities, activities are being of the research are described below. upgraded to include the existing structures and networks cooperation with CARE. The Desk research: The Consultant undertook project partners with seven civil society or- an in-depth overview of the existing docu- ganizations (CSOs) working with marginal- mentation provided by CARE but also major ized groups in the project targeted munic- reports produced by official governmental ipalities: institutions at all levels, including the statistic agencies, employment bureaus, EC, UNDP CSOs supporting Roma and also CSOs active in Bosnia and Herze- govina. The list of analyzed documents is • Otaharin from Bijeljina (also covers Visoko), presented in the chapter ‘References’. • Association of Roma women Romani Cej from Prnjavor (also covers Vukosavlje, Focus groups and workshops: At the initial • Zuralipe from Viteza (also covers Travnik). stage of the process, the Consultant partic- ipated in the workshop organized in July by CSOs supporting women CARE and partner CSOs in order to conduct a focus group discussion. The purpose of the focus group conducted within this workshop • Budućnost from Modriča,