Following years of conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), young men have been standing in line to say no - no to compulsory military duty and yes to voluntary civil service. The call for the right to be a conscientious objector has been strongest among men who went into exile in European countries during the war.

At home again, they want to enjoy the same rights as other Europeans. Conscientious objection, they say, is one way of claiming these rights. One interest group compiled a draft resolution for the amendment of the law on defense in the BiH Federation to include the issue of civil service. The National IYV Committee, backed by strong support from UNDP, UNV and UNHCR, embraced the cause.

Together with UN Volunteers, NGO and government representatives, the Committee formed a working group to advocate for conscientious objection with the Federal Ministry of Defense. A commission within the Ministry of Justice was also established. At the commission's second meeting on 12 December, it granted, for the first time, conscientious objector status to two persons pending the adoption of the law in Parliament.

Maintaining the work it started during the Year, the National IYV Committee agreed at the end of 2001 to continue its activities as a forum for volunteering with special interest in conscientious objection. Among its challenges will be to offer ideas on how objectors can best contribute their skills for post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During IYV, European lawmakers have intervened in other ways, leaving a legal legacy and a platform for future pro-volunteer policies:

• The Parliament of Belarus marked IYV by calling for regular consultations with major volunteer organizations on ways to strengthen the country's volunteer movement.
• Belgium moved to establish the country's first Federal Council for Volunteering. It is to gather, analyse and disseminate information about volunteering, including how it can be better supported.
  In the Czech Republic, findings from a government Expert Group on volunteer activity convened during IYV led to the drafting of the country's first volunteer law.
• The German Parliament prepared a Bill on the Promotion of a Volunteer Social Year for young people.
  In Great Britain, the Parliament's All-Party Group on Charities and the Voluntary Sector hosted a series of hearings from January to March 2001 with experts in volunteering to explore positive roles for Parliament and Government.
• The Portuguese Parliament also held hearings on IYV-related activities during which they discussed plans to set up a permanent National Council for the Promotion of Volunteerism.
• The European Union (EU) in November 2001 adopted the Resolution, "Added Value of Voluntary Work for Young People", calling on the EU and its Member States to define policy strategies on youth volunteering and to facilitate national and international debate.