Gender Equality Policy in Western Balkans: Are We There Yet?

Much work has been done examining the role of democratization and the European Union in transforming gender equality policy in the former communist countries. Policy adoption and implementation studies have examined the various factors affecting policy success in the region. However, faced with the brutal legacy of ethnic conflict as well as slow economic growth and high rates of corruption, the Western Balkan region has presented a different set of challenges. This paper seeks to analyze the progress in social and economic policies in the region, taking in consideration internal and external forces affecting change. More particularly, we focus on the adoption and implementation of equal employment policy in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia over twenty four years (1992-2016). In this project we are particularly interested in highlighting the regional characteristics, especially the role of donors in agenda setting and effect on policy implementation. We argue that the regional similarities and differences can inform our larger understanding of policy success, especially in newly democratized countries.