Director of the HJPC BiH Secretariat

At its session held on 9 July 2025, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPC BiH) appointed Ms Ivana Zovko-Planinic as the Director of the HJPC BiH Secretariat.

Ms Ivana Zovko-Planinic was born in 1983 in Siroki Brijeg, where she completed her primary and secondary education (general high school/opća gimnazija). She graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Mostar in 2007, and subsequently passed the bar exam.

She gained her first professional experience in the private sector, where she worked as a graduate lawyer in a Notary Office in Siroki Brijeg, as well as in a number of private companies. From 2009 to 2018, she was employed at the association Vaša prava BiH, where she held the positions of legal associate, legal advisor and Head of the Legal Aid Department working with socially vulnerable groups, the Roma community, women victims of violence, and persons affected by human trafficking – actively contributing to combating discrimination and addressing statelessness.

She then served as an advisor to the Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and since 2018, as an advisor to the Minister of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As authorised, she performed the duties of Head of the Free Legal Aid Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing legal assistance to beneficiaries before BiH bodies and institutions.

Over a long period, she volunteered in private institutions, registered associations, as well as on initiatives focused on humanitarian work, and participated in the preparation, drafting and implementation of project proposals.

From January 2023 and until assuming the role of Director of the Secretariat of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she served as Chief of Cabinet to the Minister of Justice of BiH.

She is the author and co-author of multiple expert analyses in the fields of civil status issues, civil registries, maternity rights and access to rights, as well as strengthening public administration. She has been a member of a number of editorial boards for various publications, journals, and books, as well as organising committees for academic and professional conferences with international participation. She has also lectured at professional seminars on women’s rights, domestic violence, legal protection of children and vulnerable groups, and the right to registration in civil records.

In addition to her formal education, she has attended numerous training programs and seminars organised by domestic and international institutions.