Children’s Experiences and Habits in Digital Environment: Technical report for Bosnia and Herzegovina

With internet penetration exceeding 85 percent in Bosnia and Herzegovina, children are going online earlier and more intensely than ever, yet protective systems lag behind this rapid uptake. Children’s Experiences and Habits in Digital Environment: Technical Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina distils survey data from 1,203 pupils aged 9–11 in Una-Sana and Bosnian-Podrinje Cantons to map how, why and with whom they connect. The study shows that over 70 percent use the internet every day—chiefly for gaming and social media—while educational use remains minimal; one-third navigate the web with little or no parental oversight. More than one in five reported feeling upset by something online in the past year, over a third had seen sexually explicit or violent content, and one in seven met in person with someone first contacted online. Despite these risks, only a quarter have ever used formal reporting tools or help-lines. The findings spotlight an urgent need for age-appropriate digital-literacy curricula, stronger family–school dialogue and coherent, canton-to-state-level policy action to ensure children’s rights and safety keep pace with a fast-evolving digital landscape.