Serbia

Response to the Afghan Crisis

In collaboration with a local partner in Serbia, the IRC rolled out a programme to support Afghan asylum seekers arriving in Serbia in December 2021. Protection needs of these individuals were addressed through field visits to border areas and thorough assessments of new arrivals. We offered referrals to legal and medical services, monitored migration trends and protection needs, and documented human rights violations experienced by asylum seekers during their arduous journeys.

The insights derived from this fieldwork are instrumental in strengthening the protection situation for Afghans and other vulnerable asylum seekers along their migration route. This data also contributes to enhancing the efforts of field protection teams stationed at Serbia's entry and exit points that border Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Croatia.

In an effort to improve the humanitarian response and strengthen the capacity of local civil society organisations dedicated to assisting asylum seekers, IRC Serbia has played a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and coordination with key regional stakeholders. This includes organising protection monitoring training for partner staff and developing a toolkit to guide field workers in responding to new arrivals in the country.

IRC Serbia has further instituted quarterly Community of Practice meetings, a unique platform within the country. These meetings bring together local civil society actors who provide services to refugees and migrants transiting through Serbia and Kosovo. The platform serves to stimulate information exchange, knowledge and experience sharing.

Response to the Ukrainian Crisis

With the conflict in Ukraine persisting, IRC Serbia expanded its protection and support initiatives to address the fundamental needs of newly-displaced individuals and families from Ukraine residing in Serbia.

Our Ukraine response programme in Serbia worked with a local partner to enhance access to integration and protection services, which were tailored to the needs of the most vulnerable displaced individuals and families from Ukraine. This effort led to the establishment of integration hubs in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kragujevac, along with regular visits to the asylum centre in Vranje.

Similarly, IRC Serbia partnered with a local human rights NGO in order to ensure that refugees from Ukraine have support in accessing temporary protection and that protection mechanisms remain in place after the expiration of the Temporary Protection Directive. Jointly we provided support to refugees in accessing economic and social rights and inclusion in the workforce.

• Targeted activities aimed at supporting Ukrainian refugees in Serbia included:
• Organising educational and creative safe space activities for women and children while offering information and psycho-social support.
• Providing free legal aid to individuals seeking temporary protection.
• Referring clients to mental health, medical, and legal services.
• Distributing hygiene kits.
• Supporting children and survivors of gender-based violence.
• Assisting clients in accessing economic and social rights, as well as providing integration counselling.

Beyond immediate emergency response, IRC Serbia focused on long-term empowerment and self-sufficiency. This involved assisting individuals in recognising foreign diplomas, obtaining work permits, providing Serbian language classes, offering vocational training, advocating for the improvement of legislative and protection frameworks, and aiding in job searches.

Supporting the Roma community

Following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRC Serbia and its partner organisations played an integral role in providing information to migrants and members of the Roma national minority regarding available mechanisms to enjoy their economic and social rights. This encompassed various activities, such as developing informational materials, delivering direct legal support and referrals, capacity building for civil society organisations, documenting human rights violations, and utilising paralegals for human rights advocacy.

Through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and in collaboration with local civil society organisations, the project "Improved capacity and resilience of CSOs in Serbia to protect economic and social rights of Roma and migrants in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic" aimed to strengthen community responses and resilience to better safeguard the economic and social rights of Roma and migrants during and after the pandemic, as well as build capacities to deal with future emergency situations.

Strengthening Access to Justice

This involved enhancing the capacity of service providers and offering technical assistance to governments related to applying child-friendly justice principles, as part of the "Improving Outcomes for Children in the Serbian Justice System (CRIS)" project, funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality, and Citizenship Programme.

Expanding Community Engagement Programs

This included knowledge sharing and applying community engagement approaches for both locals and refugees. It encompassed a community paralegal programme for legal awareness and sharing information on economic and social rights of marginalised populations, supported by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).

Strengthening Civil Society Resilience

IRC Serbia fostered effective and relevant partnerships aimed at bolstering the capacities of key CSO actors, enabling them to play an active role in creating a more resilient, inclusive, and pluralistic society.

Providing Legal Support

IRC Serbia initiated the provision of legal support for people on the move in December 2021. This effort aimed to equip Afghan nationals with crucial information about available legal pathways to safety.

Collaborating with an esteemed local partner, IRC Serbia conducted routine group information sessions in reception and asylum centres across Serbia. These sessions primarily focused on legal pathways to the EU, Canada, the US, and the UK along with opportunities to seek international protection within Serbia. In addition to group sessions, individualised support was offered, including legal counselling regarding resettlement and referrals and free legal aid for clients seeking asylum in Serbia.

As Albania opened its doors to Afghan evacuees in response to the situation in Afghanistan, IRC Serbia swiftly mobilised its efforts to address the pressing needs of these vulnerable populations. Collaborating with a local partner, we launched programmes in 2021 tailored to the mental health and psychosocial support of Afghan evacuees, particularly women, families, and unaccompanied children.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Empowerment

Through designated safe spaces, including the Women and Girls' Safe Space (WGSS), Child-Friendly Space (CFS), and Mother and Baby Corner (MBC), IRC Serbia created secure environments conducive to healing and growth. These spaces served as hubs for psychoeducation, emotional support, self-help groups, life skills development, and engaging recreational activities. The partnership has facilitated support for over 1,000 clients, delivering crucial mental health and psychosocial assistance since September 2021.

Legal Support for Afghan Nationals

Beginning in December 2021, IRC Serbia, in collaboration with a local partner organisation, embarked on providing legal assistance to Afghan refugees awaiting resettlement in the EU, North America, and those navigating complex legal situations in third countries. In 2022, more than 600 individuals benefited from legal aid and support. Pro bono legal assistance was facilitated through attorney mentoring, coordination, and matching with clients in need of legal counsel. During the project we jointly also tailored materials and conducted outreach sessions to offer Afghan clients tailored legal orientation.

Countering Human Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence

Between April 2022 and March 2023, IRC Serbia, in partnership with a local NGO, initiated the "Countering human trafficking and gender-based violence among Afghan asylum seekers in Albania" project. This endeavour aimed to prevent human trafficking and gender-based violence among Afghan evacuees. Activities included active identification, screening, information dissemination, coordination with relevant stakeholders, and direct provision of legal and psychological counselling to potential survivors. This project not only enhanced information provision but also improved the understanding of human trafficking while fostering networking and collaboration among regional stakeholders.

Capacity Strengthening for Local Service Providers

To empower Afghan nationals in Albania to exercise their rights, especially the right to seek asylum and international protection, IRC Serbia and its partners conducted capacity-building activities for local service providers. Training and technical assistance were provided, focusing on legal pathways, best practices in legal referrals, and delivering fundamental legal information.

IRC Serbia 's commitment in Albania exhibited its dedication to providing comprehensive support, addressing mental health needs, offering legal assistance, and combatting human trafficking and gender-based violence, all while empowering vulnerable individuals and strengthening local capacities to ensure their rights and well-being.

Since early 2018, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has experienced an uptick of migrants and refugees moving toward Europe. IRC Serbia was actively engaged in various working groups and initiatives to respond to these developments and protect the most vulnerable.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRC Serbia conducted needs assessments in Una-Sana Canton to identify vulnerabilities among migrants.  During our response, we distributed over 5,300 food and hygiene kits, personal protective equipment, and referred a significant number of clients to medical and legal services. A community engagement project was launched in Una-Sana Canton in 2021, resulting in recommendations for decision-makers, independent border monitoring mechanisms, and constructive dialogue on migration and asylum.

Support for Vulnerable Individuals

IRC Serbia collaborated with the Una-Sana Canton Red Cross to distribute essential items to migrants living in the Lipa camp, and offer first aid, psychosocial support, referrals to specialised services, and COVID-19 information. Additionally, the "Let's Be Responsible" project in Sarajevo Canton provided personal care kits, protection measures, and empowerment initiatives, benefiting asylum seekers and migrants.

Combating Human Trafficking

From April 2022 to March 2023, IRC Serbia partnered with a local organisation on the project "Countering human trafficking and gender-based violence among Afghan asylum seekers in BiH." The project aimed to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the anti-human trafficking response for Afghans and other migrants in transit. The partner’s proactive efforts included information provision, identification, monitoring, prevention, victim protection, legal support, and strengthening civil society responses.

IRC Serbia 's commitment in Bosnia and Herzegovina exhibited its dedication to providing comprehensive support, addressing mental health needs, offering legal assistance, and combatting human trafficking and gender-based violence, all while empowering vulnerable individuals and strengthening local capacities to ensure their rights and well-being.

IRC Serbia's involvement in Kosovo dates back to 1997 when it provided crucial assistance to Kosovar refugees during a period of crisis. The organisation resumed its activities in Kosovo in October 2021, driven by the need to support Afghan evacuees and subsequently focusing on assisting vulnerable refugees and migrants residing in informal settlements along the Western Balkan migration route.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for Afghan Families

IRC Serbia's initial focus was on delivering MHPSS to Afghan families, particularly women and children, housed in the Bechel and Bondsteel camps under NATO Mission to Kosovo. These evacuees were awaiting resettlement to the United States. The humanitarian response commenced with stress assessments, identifying basic concerns, and protection issues among the evacuees. As a result, IRC Serbia and the partner initiated psychological counselling, health checkups, patronage visits, nutrition sessions, and parenting workshops. Collaborative efforts with Terre des hommes Kosovo also included recreational activities.

Protection and Combating Human Trafficking

Kosovo plays a significant role as a transit country along the Western Balkan migration route, with refugees and migrants often reporting abuse, ill-treatment by border authorities, and extortion. In response, IRC Serbia established comprehensive programming with a focus on protecting Afghan asylum seekers along their migration route. This included providing vital information, enhancing humanitarian response teams, and fortifying referral mechanisms.

Protection monitoring and combating human trafficking have become central components of IRC Serbia's support for vulnerable individuals in transit. Collaborating with local non-profit organisations dedicated to assisting refugees and migrants, IRC Serbia provides technical support, fosters capacity development among local civil society groups, and promotes collaboration with regional stakeholders to stimulate coordination and joint initiatives.

As part of a regional response to the risks of trafficking and gender-based violence among Afghan asylum seekers, IRC Serbia expanded its presence to Kosovo. In collaboration with the local partner IRC Serbia conducted initial screenings for human trafficking and gender-based violence. This included disseminating information on associated risks in informal settlements along the borders. Survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence were provided with essential services, such as protection, shelter, meals, clothing, medical care, and psychosocial support. We addressed gaps in skills and knowledge among frontline workers through training courses focused on early identification of trafficking victims among the refugee and migrant population.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to Afghan Refugees in Kosovo

Since October 2021, IRC Serbia and a local partner provided MHPSS to Afghan families awaiting resettlement in Kosovo, specifically in the Bechel and Bondsteel camps. This support targeted the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. It encompassed stress assessments, psychological counselling, health checkups, patronage visits, nutrition sessions, parenting workshops, and recreational activities.

Protecting Newly-Arrived People on the Move in Kosovo

Recognising the plight of individuals embarking on unsafe journeys due to stringent border controls and restrictive asylum policies, IRC Serbia partnered with the local organisation actively working on border crossings in March 2022. The partner’s mobile teams operated at Kosovo's entry and exit points, identifying vulnerable refugees, providing accurate information on registration, legal options, and available protection services, and ensuring safe referrals at border crossings. Protection monitoring was a key activity, allowing the identification of needs and documentation of human rights violations, including pushbacks. IRC Serbia supported the partner with capacity strengthening, technical assistance, and community of practice forums for experience sharing.

In Bulgaria, IRC Serbia is actively responding to the needs of Ukrainian refugees, who have sought temporary protection in the country. As of February 2025, approximately 203,000 Ukrainian refugees applied for asylum, temporary protection or similar national protection schemes, while approximately 75,000 are currently residing in Bulgaria. This Ukrainian refugee population is predominantly comprised of women and children. The Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) has been extended until March 2026 to address their needs. Despite many Ukrainian refugees holding higher education qualifications, they often resort to low-skilled, seasonal employment. School enrolment for refugee children remains a challenge, with UNICEF data indicating that only 3% of Ukrainian refugee children in Bulgaria have enrolled in schools. To address this, IRC Serbia is committed to increasing enrolment rates for Ukrainian children in national schools and kindergartens.

IRC Serbia collaborates with various organisations in Bulgaria to address critical areas of concern, including child protection, support for survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking, and mental health and psychosocial support. One of the IRC’s partners offers Psychological First Aid (PFA) counseling and activities aimed at strengthening coping mechanisms, fostering stability, and enhancing resilience among refugees. Other IRC Serbia partners also provided social counselling to Ukrainian and other refugees, efficient accompaniment and cultural mediation to health services, housing, migration authorities, access to children's education and protection. Psychosocial support as well as tailored activities for children and for women, men and caregivers were provided and focused on building networks, upskilling, contact with local language, navigating and accessing services.

Safe Spaces for Children and Mothers

In collaboration with a local partner, renowned for supporting vulnerable children in Bulgaria, IRC Serbia established safe spaces in Sofia and Plovdiv. These spaces provided specialised support for children, including speech and musical therapy, while mothers received psychological counseling and facilitated peer-to-peer support. Additionally, both children and mothers receive culturally appropriate protection information and referrals to other service providers.

Information Provision

Through collaboration with a local partner focusing on access to rights, IRC Serbia strived to empower Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria by helping them understand and access their rights within an evolving legal landscape. This approach focused on various components of access to status and rights, including temporary protection, healthcare, education, as well as on other essential services for refugees.

Collaboratively, we launched the Accessible Information Network in August 2022, leveraging the valuable insights and proven high-quality information service of the migrantlife.bg website. This project, an integral component of the Refugee Info in Central Europe (RI-CE) project, strove to provide accurate legal information to support thousands of refugees. Its primary focus was on offering crucial and up-to-date information on legal matters, ultimately enhancing the understanding of the refugee community.

Czechia has emerged as a haven for Ukrainian and Ukrainian Roma refugees escaping the war, thanks to its historical ties to Ukraine and a pre-war Ukrainian community. As of February 2025, around 390,000 Ukrainians have found refuge in Czechia, while approximately 640,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, have applied for temporary or other forms of international protection. In response to the uncertainties faced by Ukrainians in Czechia, IRC Serbia has collaborated with prominent local non-governmental organisations to ensure that refugees have access to their rights and various forms of vital services.

The Czech government, through the Lex Ukraine legislative package, has extended temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2026. However, recent amendments have imposed limitations on financial support, humanitarian accommodation, and benefits, including healthcare, which no longer adequately cover the cost of living for refugees.

IRC Serbia’s local partners supported Roma refugees from Ukraine by organising activities within Women and Girls' Safe Spaces, focusing on women's empowerment and skills development. Additionally, they provided psychological support and recreational activities to promote community engagement and integration. Child-Friendly Spaces were developed, primarily for those whose mothers participate in the aforementioned activities. Czech language classes were also offered within these groups.

Empowering Women and Raising Awareness

Partners and IRC Serbia jointly organised activities for refugee and migrant women who were at risk of gender-based violence and other rights violations. These included individual counselling services, intercultural assistance, empowerment sessions, and awareness-raising initiatives. Training sessions on gender-based violence and gender issues were conducted for intercultural workers and community leaders, along with capacity-building programmes for professionals and policymakers focusing on women in migration. IRC Serbia and its partners worked together to advocate for the advancement of human rights for refugees and the enhancement of policy and legislative frameworks, especially for the most vulnerable among them.

Legal Aid

IRC Serbia worked with a local partner to offer vital legal support for accessing Temporary Protection and asylum in collaboration. Activities implemented included assistance with accessing international protection, economic and social rights – i.e., access to the labour market and any form of social protection refugees enjoying protection in Czechia are entitled to – education and diploma recognition, support in the form of drafting appeals against negative decisions by Czech authorities, as well as with any other civil matters refugees required support with. As these activities involved the provision of services to non-Ukrainian refugees as well, the partner also provided legal aid to refugees detained in migration detention centres.

Information Provision

IRC Serbia collaborated with a local organisation to deliver accurate information to refugees, including Ukrainians, both online and in-person. This involved supporting refugees in various languages through the Refugee Info Czechia website, fieldwork, in-person information sessions, the operation of an SOS helpline, and engagement on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok. By the end of 2023, their TikTok content had garnered over half a million views, and they had mapped more than 200 services to which refugees can be referred.

As of February 2025, over 62,000 Ukrainian refugees reside in Hungary, while almost 50,000 have sought some form of international protection in the country. The discrepancy between the number of those seeking international protection and those residing in the country arises from the fact that many Ukrainian refugees either hold dual citizenship or have other forms of permits to stay in the country. They face a range of challenges, including securing long-term housing, access to the labor market, daycare and education for school-aged refugees, and medical services, as well as long-term assistance for families opting to remain in Hungary. Many refugees, particularly non-EU citizens, lack crucial information about their rights, available medical and educational services, and how to seek help in specific situations.

Hungary's asylum system has become increasingly restrictive, posing substantial barriers for refugees seeking asylum. Specific groups, such as Subcarpathian Roma from Ukraine, have encountered difficulties accessing protection intended for refugees from Ukraine due to many of them already having Hungarian citizenship, which disqualifies them from the Temporary Protection Directive and associated protection provisions.

Access to housing, the labour market, and mental health and psychosocial support services remains urgent. While the Hungarian government introduced policies to promote Ukrainian children's inclusion in national schools, only 28% of Ukrainian school-aged children are enrolled. Barriers include limited school capacity and language barriers.

IRC Serbia collaborated with local organisations to leverage their extensive experience in educational, mental health and psychosocial support, and their community presence. Together with partners, we provided free high-quality psychological support, psychoeducation, and crisis intervention. Psychologists and educators working with children and caregivers received trauma-informed training to enhance their capacities.

Child Protection and Education

IRC Serbia strove to ensure that Ukrainian refugee children were in safe and protective environments, and assisted with school orientation and enrolment, including through social and emotional support. Structured services were offered within safe spaces, including schools, inside and outside of Budapest. Activities like after-school programs, summer camps, and language classes helped children adapt to their new reality and build social networks. Women and caregivers received support through sessions on positive parenting, protection considerations, cultural orientation, and access to services.

Information Provision

IRC Serbia collaborated closely with a local organisation that swiftly mobilised volunteers and donations during the early days of the Ukraine conflict. Together, we launched the Refugee Info in Hungary project, running from August 2022 to October 2023.

The project aimed to provide timely, accurate, relevant, and reliable information in four languages to thousands of refugees. Information was disseminated via various channels, including a dedicated website, Facebook, TikTok, and Telegram. The outreach efforts reached over half a million people on Facebook and more than 200,000 on TikTok. The team mapped and offered referrals to hundreds of services available to refugees.

The local partner facilitated two-way communications with refugees via messaging apps such as Viber, Facebook, Telegram, and a hotline. They also provided in-person support by welcoming newly-arrived refugees at reception and transit centres in Budapest.

Moldova, neighbouring Ukraine, has served as a sanctuary for numerous individuals fleeing the ongoing war. Since the conflict's inception, approximately one million people have sought refuge in Moldova, with approximately 128,000 recorded in the country as of February 2025. Temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova has been in effect since 1 March 2023 and over 70,000 people have availed themselves of this form of protection since.

Protection

In Moldova, IRC Serbia’s local partner organisation played a pivotal role by establishing safe spaces for women and children. The safe spaces established through the project provided an enabling environment for both refugee and host community members. Within these spaces, children and women accessed age-appropriate activities, including creative workshops, educational support, language courses, and psychosocial sessions. These activities empowered participants with self-help tools to navigate their challenges effectively. Recognising the clients’ evolving needs, particularly regarding integration, the local partner ensured that clients were offered integration-focused activities and services. Cultural mediators and bilingual team members proficient in both Ukrainian and the local language facilitated access to various services. They not only referred clients to services but also accompanied them to meetings with healthcare professionals and migration authorities, ensuring comprehensive support.

Information Provision Tailored to Roma Refugee Community

The conflict in Ukraine has prompted around 40,000 Roma individuals to seek refuge in Moldova. They face challenges related to education, language barriers, and discrimination, whether their stay is temporary or long-term. Additionally, 5,000 Roma people are residing in reception centres and private spaces across the autonomous Moldovan regions of Gagauzia and Transnistria. IRC Serbia, in partnership with local organisations focused on the Roma community, recognising the urgent need for high-quality, accurate, reliable, relevant, and culturally appropriate information tailored to the Roma community in Moldova. These initiatives were launched in August 2022 with the primary aim of meeting the informational needs of the Roma community in their mother language, encompassing five dialects, and delivering information in an accessible format to facilitate informed decision-making. The information was prepared in both video and audio formats and disseminated through dedicated channels such as YouTube, TikTok, and Radio Patrin's programme, all catering to the Roma population. Additionally, in-person dissemination was conducted. To foster two-way communication, a helpline was made available. Recognising that some Roma refugees from Ukraine may face illiteracy challenges, the partners produced 50 videos to ensure that pertinent information reached these vulnerable individuals effectively.

Romania, as one of Ukraine's neighbouring countries, has provided refuge to a substantial number of people fleeing the war since February 2022. Over 6 million individuals have crossed into Romania from Ukraine, with almost 180,000 remaining in the country as of February 2025. The 192,000 individuals granted temporary protection in Romania since the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive are entitled to various benefits, including housing support, financial assistance, child protection, long-term care, income-dependent benefits, and subsidies.

In response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis in Romania, IRC Serbia partnered with six local organisations specialising in protection, combating human trafficking and gender-based violence, child protection and youth empowerment, and advocacy.

Holistic Support Services

IRC Serbia’s partners, leveraging the expertise of psychologists, lawyers, and social workers, have set up protection services to assist refugees. These services include gender-based violence (GBV) case management, psychological counselling, and legal counselling, ensuring individual support and protection from various forms of violence.

IRC Serbia and its partners have established safe spaces in ten locations throughout Romania, where a range of activities are organised to enhance the resilience, skills, and coping abilities of refugee clients. These activities cater to different age groups and genders, including arts, games, educational support, workshops for empowering women and girls, and assistance for the most vulnerable refugees.

Slovakia has been grappling with a significant refugee crisis since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, with over 1.8 million individuals crossing the Slovakia-Ukraine border, primarily women and children. Slovakia was the first EU country to establish temporary protection status for those affected by the war. As of December 2023, 135,000 people have applied for temporary protection in Slovakia, while 114,000 remain in the country.

Holistic Support Services

In Slovakia, IRC Serbia collaborated with local partner organisations to enhance the well-being of Ukrainian refugees. IRC Serbia offered an array of services, including high-quality psychological support, psychoeducation, and crisis intervention, with a particular focus on youth facing challenging situations.

The IRC and its partners have established crisis intervention centres, expanded professional teams, and distributed essential materials. We have provided protection and educational support to children affected by conflict, including recreational, creative, and educational activities in eight safe spaces. Professional capacities are enhanced, and individual support is provided to Ukrainian children.

Border Controls Response

In response to an uptick in the number of migrants and refugees arriving in Slovakia, particularly from Syria, following border controls introduced by Czechia at the Czecho-Slovak border, IRC Serbia partnered with a local organisation. Through this partnership, protection monitoring data was collected in border areas in order to ensure that the services provided to refugees was adequate, and that their rights were respected. IRC Serbia and its local partner also offered information on access to rights and services, aided refugees in communication with those in temporary reception centers, and contributed to the development of recommendations for future actions.

Information Provision

In August 2022, IRC Serbia initiated collaboration with local organisations, to support Ukrainians and other refugees in Slovakia. These organisations recognised the need for more information for refugees and created leaflets and a website covering various aspects of life in Slovakia, including changes in legislation, housing, healthcare, education, social care, and cash assistance.

Working closely with the IRC Serbia's local partners redesigned their website, launched a Telegram channel, and organised informative sessions online through Facebook. Additionally, these partners have provided refugees with empowering information in person, ensuring that refugees have access to accurate and essential information.

While refugees from Ukraine are granted temporary protection, their foremost concerns revolve around accessing the labour market, securing housing, and ensuring educational opportunities for children; that is to say, access to economic and social rights. Integration prospects for Ukrainian refugees are significantly influenced by their educational backgrounds, existing social networks, and immediate access to employment.

IRC Serbia is poised to shift its focus from humanitarian emergency programming and response, primarily centreed on protection, toward a broader objective of integration. This transition involves the mainstreaming of economic and social rights for refugees.

Despite persistent efforts by various stakeholders, there remains a pressing need to safeguard the rights of all individuals on the move. This includes asylum seekers hailing from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, and North Africa. Challenges such as low awareness of protection mechanisms and the presence of smugglers and traffickers along their journeys pose alarming risks. Ensuring the protection of these individuals' rights and providing access to quality services is paramount, irrespective of their status or origin.

IRC Serbia, in collaboration with its partners in Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, and Slovakia, is dedicated to ensuring the safety of women and children by offering a range of services and activities within secure environments known as Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces (WGSS) and Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS).

Additionally, IRC Serbia actively collaborates with organisations experienced in implementing programmes focused on preventing gender-based violence (GBV) and human trafficking (THB). 

In Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia, IRC Serbia’s partners are committed to conducting initial screenings, proactive identification, protection, and support for victims of trafficking (VoT) and survivors of GBV. Those on the move through the Western Balkans region, facing exploitation or at risk of it, can rely on high-quality support from these partner organisations.

In tandem with this, IRC closely monitors the protection situation of asylum seekers along their migration routes, particularly at entry and exit points. The organisation provides critical information and enhances the efforts of humanitarian response teams and referral mechanisms.

Key Protection Services

1. Initial Assessment and Protection Monitoring: IRC Serbia and its partners conduct initial protection assessments and multisectoral assessments to identify critical needs linked to protection issues, such as lack of shelter, food, services, and protection mechanisms. Traumatic stress resulting from experiences during the journey or in places of origin is also considered.

2. Safe Spaces for All Ages and Genders: Safe spaces are thoughtfully designed to offer an immediate and secure environment for boys, girls, women, and families, including the most vulnerable among them, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals. These spaces provide:

• Psychological First Aid (PFA) and other psychosocial support to promote resilience.
• Age and gender-appropriate activities to establish a sense of normalcy and routine.
• Early identification and referral to the response team for individuals in need of personalised protection, legal assistance, mental health, and psycho-social support (MHPSS) services, among other forms of support.

3. Information Provision and Socio-economic Support: IRC Serbia and its partners ensure that affected individuals have access to crucial information on transportation, safe services, rights and policies, healthcare, educational support, job opportunities, language courses, asylum-seeking procedures, residency, the right to work and live, and other matters related to civic procedures.

4. Emergency Protection Teams: Comprising child protection, GBV, and protection assistance working in the field, these teams identify individuals in need and provide PFA, safe referrals, and emergency kits (such as dignity kits, mobility items, food, etc.). They also ensure access to services for those at risk of rights violations or who have had their rights violated. IRC Serbia collaborates with numerous organisations specialising in various emergency protection fields, including child protection, gender-based violence, and protection case management, offering coaching and supervision.

5. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS): IRC Serbia's comprehensive mental health response encompasses both preventative and intervention efforts through individual and group activities. IRC Serbia tailors a variety of activities based on community input, addressing diverse needs and vulnerabilities. These activities include support groups, coping and well-being activities, psychoeducational workshops, individual and group counseling, all aimed at promoting resilience and recovery within affected populations.

The IRC's Refugee Info project (RICE) is committed to empowering individuals fleeing conflict by delivering verified, current, and culturally sensitive information. This enables them to assert their rights and access the available services necessary to meet their needs.

Project Background

RICE was launched in response to the conflict in Ukraine, which compelled millions of Ukrainians, predominantly women and children, to seek safety away from their homes.

The project builds upon the Refugee.Info web platform initiated by IRC Serbia and Signpost in 2015, with later contributions from Greece and Italy. Drawing from their experiences, the RICE project tailors a unique response to the current informational needs in the region, collaborating closely with local civil society organisations. RICE adopts an innovative methodology that blends the latest digital advancements with in-person information provision, always attuned to the specific needs of its clients.

Project Partners and Goals

RICE partners covered seven local organisations, spanning five countries: Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, and Slovakia. Its primary objectives were to provide high-quality information to 160,000 individuals through online web instances under the Refugee.Info umbrella and to engage in direct communication with 24,000 individuals through two-way digital interactions and in-person information sharing. This communication takes place in Ukrainian, Russian, English, and local languages, as well as in five Romani dialects within Moldova.

Information Database

The RICE information database is meticulously curated by dedicated editorial teams in each participating country. It covers a wide array of topics, encompassing the asylum and refugee legal process, safe and immediate accommodation options, access to employment, education, healthcare, and transportation.

Information Needs Assessment (INA)

In every country where the project operates, an Information Needs Assessment (INA) is conducted, yielding current insights and invaluable country-specific data. This serves as the foundation for the editorial teams to respond effectively to the evolving needs of people on the move. Service mapping officers in each country play a crucial role in monitoring, establishing, or enhancing safe and functional referral pathways, coordinating support with various service providers, whether governmental, private, CSOs, or IGOs.

In-Person Information Sharing

Simultaneously, in-person information sharing is carried out through mobile information teams. These teams reach individuals in need at key congregation points within the project countries. They collect information regarding specific needs and ensure timely communication of critical information to clients.

Mobile teams and online moderators are also equipped to provide personalised referral pathways for the most vulnerable clients through tailored one-on-one information provision. They are extensively trained in safeguarding methods to identify the most vulnerable individuals and offer appropriate information and safe referrals, always adhering to key principles such as consent, confidentiality, and age and gender appropriateness. Safe referral is prioritised for unaccompanied children, people with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence, and others in urgent need of services.

For additional information on the IRC Serbia's client support initiatives in Central Europe, continue reading below.

Under the project "Improving Outcomes for Children in the Serbian Justice System (CRIS)", IRC Serbia has formed partnerships with local NGOs, with the collective aim to enhance the well-being of children in contact with the law, encompassing victims or witnesses to human trafficking, unaccompanied children, and those categorised as offenders.

Throughout this project, a concerted effort has been made to engage and empower relevant stakeholders. This includes judicial and other professionals involved in legal proceedings concerning children. These professionals span judges, prosecutors, lawyers, guardians, CSOs/NGOs, law students, and other child-facing professionals. The project identifies crucial areas for enhancing the juvenile justice system, building the capacity of professionals to better protect children's rights, and educating children about their rights within the judicial system.

The project's impact extends to the protection and application of child rights within the Serbian judicial system. This includes children who have experienced human trafficking, unaccompanied children, and children not identified as victims or witnesses but as potential offenders of criminal acts. Through direct child involvement, network-building among key stakeholders, professional training, and public awareness campaigns, IRC Serbia and its partners aim to strengthen child-friendly justice principles and the juvenile justice system in Serbia.

A Project Advisory Board, established at the outset, conducted regular meetings where key stakeholders discussed critical developments and proposed new activities geared towards achieving project objectives.

Child and youth participation has been a fundamental component of the CRIS Project. It seeks to empower children to voice their concerns and provide input in partnership with adults. Their perspectives and contributions hold immense importance in realising project goals.

Recognising the heightened vulnerability of people on the move to human trafficking, IRC Serbia initiated an anti-human trafficking program in 2015. In collaboration with local NGOs, the "From Harm to Safety: Improving the Protection of Victims of Trafficking (VoTs) in Serbia" project aimed to enhance the identification, protection, recovery, and social inclusion of human trafficking survivors, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable groups, such as children, refugees, and migrants.

This multifaceted project operated on three levels:

1. Direct Support to Survivors: Offering essential assistance to individuals who had survived human trafficking.

2. Capacity Building: Strengthening the capabilities of key actors within Serbia's National Referral Mechanism.

3. Advocacy and Legal Environment: Working in cooperation with state actors to establish a safe and equitable legal environment that allowed victims of trafficking to share their experiences and assert their rights.

The project ran from February 2018 to March 2021 and was implemented in eight municipalities. It successfully shifted the narrative from "victims" to "survivors." Survivors of human trafficking played a pivotal role in creating and leading supportive activities, regularly evaluating these activities, and influencing institutional and legal frameworks through advocacy efforts.

One significant outcome of the project was the formation of local anti-trafficking teams. These teams were trained to conduct preliminary identification and promote the social inclusion of survivors within local communities. Members of these teams displayed a better understanding of human trafficking and were less likely to perceive barriers compared to professionals not part of these teams.

In April 2021, IRC Serbia relaunched its anti-trafficking programming through a regional project. This project provides direct support to individuals at risk of human trafficking and gender-based violence, fostering cooperation among stakeholders in asylum/migration and anti-trafficking systems across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia.

Through collaboration with the IRC Serbia, the local partner conducts initial screenings, proactive identification, protection, and support for victims of trafficking (VoTs) and survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). The partner's mobile team conducts project activities in asylum/transit centers and other locations. The organisation assesses the needs of the Afghan population in Serbia, publishes reports on the situation of Afghan refugees, and collaborates with relevant actors to ensure that individuals at risk of GBV and trafficking receive necessary protection and services. Specific activities include providing information, identification, and specialised support encompassing temporary accommodation, legal assistance, psychological counselling, medical services, social support, and security measures for refugee and migrant women and children from Afghanistan and other countries.

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