In the first six months of 2024, Bosnia and Herzegovina saw a decline in births and marriages compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Agency for Statistics. A total of 11,142 babies were born, marking a 2.7% decrease (or 309 fewer births) compared to 2023. In contrast, deaths also slightly decreased by 1.92%, with 17,274 recorded deaths.

Demographer Aleksandar Majic emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is experiencing an aging population, with fewer women in the fertile age range of 15 to 49 years. He noted, “We are witnessing a decline in the number of women capable of giving birth, especially in the optimal age range of 20 to 35 years.”

On the marriage front, 6,393 marriages were registered, 71 fewer than last year, while divorces also dropped by the same number, totaling 1,067.

Sociologist Biljana Milosevic highlighted the cultural and economic shifts affecting marriage, noting, “People are becoming impatient, finding it hard to compromise, which affects the stability of marriages.” She also pointed out the financial pressures that have made marriage and divorce more transactional for some, with young couples treating weddings as business opportunities, followed by swift divorces to split monetary gifts.

Milošević concluded that despite these challenges, the institution of marriage in Bosnia and Herzegovina remains relatively stable compared to other regions.