News in English     | 22.05.2018. 17:22 |

Sweden and UNICEF - Protection of refugee and migrant children in BiH

FENA Press release

SARAJEVO, May 22 (FENA) - Working as a part of the UN Team, UNICEF in Bosnia and Herzegovina provided basic furniture and supplies for over 200 migrants and refugees, including 24 women and 51 children, recently moved from Sarajevo to the “Salakovac” refugee center.

These supplies included 50 mattresses, 1,300 bed linens and pillows, 60 tables, 300 chairs, and toys The provisions were enabled by the flexible funding in the area of child protection from the Swedish International Development Agency, which allowed UNICEF to initiate its humanitarian response in BiH in a timely way, to support refugee and migrant children and their families as well as unaccompanied and separated children.

UNICEF Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Geeta Narayan appreciated Sweden for their support. “The fact that that we had available and flexible (i.e. not project-specific) funding for child protection allowed UNICEF in Bosnia and Herzegovina to react quickly to provide necessary supplies to the children in need. I would like to thank Sweden and to reaffirm UNICEF’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable girls and boys.” said Ms. Narayan.

Head of the Swedish International Development Agency Marie Bergstrom expressed her satisfaction that this partnership enabled UNICEF to react.  “Due to longstanding good relationship between the Embassy of Sweden and UNICEF in BIH, on supporting justice for children, I am proud that Sweden was able to provide thematic support which enables UNICEF to respond to emergencies involving children” said Ms. Bergstrom.

In the next step, UNICEF with NGO partners aims to expand humanitarian services such as establishing Child-Friendly Spaces, where children can play and benefit from psychological support, and mother-baby spaces where mothers can rest and take care of their babies. Establishment of Child-friendly Spaces is foreseen in the “Salakovac” center, in Sarajevo, and Bihać/Velika Kladuša, together with partners.

Migrant and refugee children and women, especially those without documentation, are vulnerable to trafficking, abuse and exploitation. In transit and destination countries, migrants and refugees and their families often find themselves victims of discrimination, poverty, and social marginalization. Working with partners in government, the UN family and CSOs, UNICEF aims to ensure that programs and policies that put the rights and needs of all children first, as called for under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, stated the UNICEF Office in BiH.

(FENA) S. R.

Vezane vijesti

Representatives of Brčko District of BiH and UNICEF on improving the position of children

SIPA officers arrest a migrant based on an Interpol arrest warrant

Bosnia and Herzegovina registers around 34,000 migrant arrivals annually

Promo

M:tel: Savršena kombinacija – Huawei telefon i pametni sat s popustom

M:tel: Stiglo nam je Proljeće!

Predstava 'Kako sam se nadala dobro se nisam udala' u BKC Sarajevo