UNHCR and MoLESVA organise a visit to homes for unaccompanied refugee and migrant children

Feb. 2020.

In February 2020, UNHCR and the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs organised a visit to two homes accommodating unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children (UASC) for the representatives of the donor country embassies and international organisations. The objective was to present best practices in the domain of accommodation and care for this vulnerable group as well as the services provided to them.

One of the homes selected – Centre for Accommodation of Children without Parental Care “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj” is part of the national system for accommodation of children without parental care which started taking in UASC two years ago. UNHCR funded an extension of this institution specifically to accommodate this group of children. Currently, nine children reside there, eight of whom have filed substantive asylum claims. The State Secretary and the director of the facility gave attendees a tour of the facilities, explained how the system works and informed about the plans and outstanding needs. The facility is in need of funding to finish the sports hall under construction which is to be used by the beneficiaries of all the five institutions on the territory of Belgrade. They expressed readiness to take more UASC in, if adequate funding is provided. Currently, the major portion of the funding is secured by the EU.

The second home “Integration House Pedro Arrupe” is run by Jesuit Refugee Service and accommodates twelve children aged 11 to 19. The funding for this facility is ensured until mid-2020 whereafter they will need funds for the running costs, maintenance of the facility and food. Social workers, guardians and the UASC residents were present in both facilities and explained in detail how they work and which services are available to the children. The State Secretary praised the work of both facilities, and stressed the good cooperation between the national authorities, the civil sector and the int’l organisations. The participants – representatives of the embassies were very interested in the services provided to the children, the outstanding needs and the guardianship system. They were briefed in detail, particularly about the guardianship concept at a debriefing following the visit. The IKEA representative took note of the needs, and said his company would get back to UNHCR about the possibility of their contribution in furnishing these and other facilities of this kind.

Visit to Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj, home for unaccompanied refugee and migrant children

Representatives of EU and the Embassy of Spain with asylum seekers in Zmaj

Pedro Arrupe Integration House, presentation of work

The children presented the flags of the countries of the visiting representatives In the shape of butterflies.