Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina highlights youth financial literacy gaps as research finds only a third understand inflation’s impact

The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with the Institute for Youth Development KULT and supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Bosnia and Herzegovina, hosted a presentation of research findings on young people’s financial literacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The central message was that youth financial literacy remains below minimum standards recommended by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with the research indicating limited understanding of how economic processes affect daily life. Governor Jasmina Selimovic pointed to survey findings that around one third of young people recognise inflation reduces the purchasing power of money, alongside gender and age differences in financial literacy. The results also suggest young people often prioritise spending over saving and rarely use budgeting and financial planning tools, while showing a positive attitude towards responsible borrowing. The Institute outlined recommendations including practical financial education programmes, accessible youth-oriented digital tools, partnerships with banks and microfinance institutions, and integrating digital literacy and online safety into education, alongside broader coverage of topics such as investments, pension funds and savings products; the event also featured panels on institutional roles and public policy with participation from financial and regulatory bodies, academia and policymakers.