Praxis
Praxis Protection Monitoring Report on Migration - December 2016
The humanitarian situation in Belgrade at the end of December 2016 was quite alarming, with nearly 2,000 persons sleeping rough in Belgrade at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius. Most of these people were sleeping in the barracks/warehouses behind the Belgrade Bus Station, in really poor conditions, without water, toilets, heating, in stuffy facilities as a result of lighting fire indoors to keep them warm, but Praxis staff counted approximately 150 on average daily sleeping outdoors, at parking lots, without any shelter. It is estimated that a third of these people are unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).
With the new arrivals, the capacities of almost all asylum and reception centres in Serbia are at full capacity or overburdened.
Praxis continued its field work in December and provided a total of 1,124 newly arrived refugees and migrants (656 adults and 468 children) in Belgrade with timely and adequate information and/or referrals, which is smaller number of arrivals than in the previous period as a result of harsh weather conditions and temperatures below zero degrees Celsius.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
We Are Exchanging Experience about Child, Early and Forced Marriages with the MoI of Montenegro and Centre for Roma Initiatives
At the beginning of February 2017, Praxis was visited by the representatives of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and Centre for Roma Initiatives with an aim to exchange experience about the mechanism of prevention and elimination of child, early and forced marriages.
The visit to Praxis was part of a study visit to Belgrade, organized by the Centre for Roma Initiatives in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, as part of the project “Coordinated action to combat violence and child marriages in Roma and Egyptian Community”, which is implemented in cooperation with UNICEF in Montenegro and financial support of EU. This project is part of a many-year regional initiative aimed at improving the protection of children from violence and social inclusion of children with disabilities, which is implemented by UNICEF, European Disability Forum - EDF, EU, and the governments of seven countries in the process of EU accession.
The goal of the study visit was to exchange knowledge and experience in relation to child, early and forced marriages with an aim to prepare “Guidelines for the treatment and processing of cases of forced marriages in Roma and Egyptian communities for the needs of police, social working centres, schools, courts and health centres” in Montenegro.
Unlike the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, which expressed willingness to react to the occurrence of child, early and forced marriages, the lack of institutional will to responsibly deal with this problem is still evident in Serbia.
A Visit of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and the Centre for Roma Initiatives to Exchange Experience about Child, Early and Forced Marriages
At the beginning of February 2017, Praxis was visited by the representatives of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and the Centre for Roma Initiatives with an aim to exchange experience about the mechanism of prevention and elimination of child, early and forced marriages.
The visit to Praxis was part of a study visit to Belgrade, organised by the Centre for Roma Initiatives in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, as part of the project “Coordinated action to combat violence and child marriages in Roma and Egyptian community”, implemented in cooperation with UNICEF in Montenegro and financially supported by the EU. This project is part of a multi-year regional initiative aimed at improving the protection of children from violence and social inclusion of children with disabilities, which is implemented by UNICEF, the European Disability Forum - EDF, the EU, and the governments of seven countries in the process of EU accession.
The goal of the study visit was to exchange knowledge and experience in relation to child, early and forced marriages with an aim to prepare “Guidelines for the treatment and processing of cases of forced marriages in Roma and Egyptian communities for the needs of police, social working centres, schools, courts and health centres” in Montenegro.
Unlike the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, which expressed readiness to respond to the occurrence of child, early and forced marriages, the lack of institutional will to responsibly deal with this problem is still evident in Serbia.
Protection Monitoring Report 16 Oct - 30 Nov 2016
At the beginning of November, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs sent an Open Letter to international humanitarian and non-governmental organizations, stating that it was unacceptable that organizations provide food and NFI assistance in the centre or encourage migrants to reside outside designated asylum and reception centres, particularly on the territory of Belgrade.
The humanitarian situation in Belgrade is more concerning than ever, with around 1,000 refugees and migrants sleeping rough in Belgrade central parks and barracks behind the Bus Station, several hundreds of them being unaccompanied minors, in extremely poor hygienic conditions, with almost no assistance provided. In addition, Hungary reduced the number of persons it admits to only 20 per day, weekends excluded. At the same time, the capacities of the asylum and reception centres in Serbia are almost full, including the capacities of AC Krnjaca which are overstretched.
Praxis provided a total of 2,272 refugees and migrants (new arrivals) with timely and adequate information (1,345 adults and 927 children).
For more information, see the related announcement here.
Protection Monitoring Report 16 Sept - 15 Oct 2016
The number of refugees and migrants present daily in the parks near the Belgrade Bus Station rose to nearly 1,300 persons in November, compared to around 600 in mid-September. Almost all asylum and reception centres are full, including AC Krnjaca, while there were around 1,000 refugees and migrants sleeping rough in Belgrade at the end of the reporting period, compared to around 300 in mid-September. Hygienic conditions in the old barracks, abandoned buildings and other facilities where refugees sleep are alarming, with increased number of scabies and body lice infestation. Furthermore, there is evident lack of winter NFIs in the field (jackets, shoes, blankets, etc), especially for men.
Praxis continued protection monitoring in the field, provided information to refugees and migrants in Belgrade about available legal options and available services, identified vulnerable cases assisted them or referred them to other organizations for targeted assistance. Praxis also provided protection by presence and accompanied refugees to PS Savska for registration. Inconsistencies in registration continued, access to asylum is often hindered, protection of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) is still the most challenging, while refugees continue to report mistreatment by both the authorities and civilians along the route.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
Protection Monitoring Report 15 Aug - 15 Sep 2016
Praxis started implementing the Project “Protection Monitoring and Assistance to Refugees and Asylum seekers in Belgrade”, funded by the Save the Children International in Serbia, on 15 August 2016. We have been back in the field in Belgrade since 22 August 2016, providing information to refugees in Belgrade, protection by presence, identification of vulnerable cases and referrals to other agencies for targeted assistance.
In the reporting period, Praxis provided a total of 2,396 refugees with timely and adequate information. Out of this number, 1284 persons, nearly 54% of all informed refugees, were from Afghanistan (701 adults and 583 children), with an increase of Afghan families arriving. A total of 299 beneficiaries we served (12.5%) were from Syria, 134 from Iraq (5.6%), 167 from Pakistan (nearly 7%), while 135 beneficiaries (5.6%) from other countries. Out of the total number of served beneficiaries, Praxis provided information to a total of 120 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), 84% of them being from Afghanistan. In the same period, Praxis identified 618 vulnerable refugees and referred them to other organizations for targeted assistance, mainly for food, NFIs, accommodation, transportation, medical assistance, registration, legal assistance, AVR, and followed up on the cases when possible.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
NRC - Praxis Humanitarian Report for July 2016
Several notable developments occurred in the refugee crisis in July contributing to deterioration in conditions in Belgrade and elsewhere. In Hungary, legal amendments that came into force on 5th July 2016, allow push-backs of asylum-seekers intercepted within 8 km of the Hungarian border, depriving them of the right to seek-asylum and be given international protection, contrary to the international law.
The Government of Serbia deployed joint military-police teams along the borders with FYROM and Bulgaria which the GoS announced as a measure to combat illegal entry of migrants into Serbian territory and to combat smuggling and trafficking. The former led to an increased number of push-backs from Hungary in comparison to June, while the latter brought about a significant increase in the reports of pushbacks from Serbia to Bulgaria and fYRoM compared to June. Furthermore, Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration (KIRS) started transporting refugees from Krnjaca Asylum Centre and Belgrade parks to other asylum centres or refugee aid points (RAPs), and opened the AC Bogovadja to asylum seekers. However, AC Krnjaca, Belgrade, returned to its previous policy of allowing entry only to those whose asylum seeker registration referred them to this specific AC, leaving the facility only fractionally occupied, and an average of over 500 persons sleeping rough in Belgrade city centre nightly. Waiting list system is established for legally entering Hungary in the transit zones Horgos and Kelebija at the Hungarian border for asylum seekers already in the transit zone or in RAPs elsewhere in Serbia.
In July, NRC-Praxis assisted 2,852 beneficiaries in total with protection services.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
Praxis Published Protection Monitoring Report on Migration for February 2017
In early February, due to the relocation of a large number of refugees/migrants to the Reception Centre in Obrenovac, the number of people staying in the abandoned warehouses behind the Bus Station in Belgrade was considerably reduced compared to January. According to the estimate of Praxis’ mobile team, in early February in Belgrade, there were between 700 and 1,100 refugees/migrants outside of the reception and asylum centres. The largest number of them stayed in the barracks/warehouses, while between 40 and 60 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) and a small number of people with health issues had the opportunity to sleep in the MSF tents.
According to the information received from UNHCR, a total of 940 persons, of whom 328 UASC, have been relocated to the Reception Centre in Obrenovac, since its opening. In February, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration organised the bus transportation for refugees/migrants, once a day, which they could use to go to Belgrade and return to the Reception Centre. A special bus was organised for the refugees/migrants going from Belgrade to the Reception Centre in Obrenovac for the first time, with the departure at 9 a.m. The daily number of people who could go to the Reception Centre in Obrenovac for the first time depended on the remaining capacity of the centre. In February, the number of newly arrived refugees/migrants, met by the Praxis’ team in Belgrade, began to grow compared to the previous period, probably due to the milder weather conditions. Since the refugee/migrant accommodation capacity has been growing slower than the pace of new arrivals, it resulted in the increased number of people staying in Belgrade outside of reception and asylum centres. The number of persons trying to cross to Croatia, Hungary or Romania has grown. Arrivals to and departures from the asylum and reception centres, as well as unsuccessful attempts of crossing various borders, lead to a large fluctuation of people. According to the estimate of Praxis’ mobile team, in the second half of February, the number of persons present in the field reached 1,000-1,500 every day. These numbers differ from the number of persons who actually sleep in the barracks and which, according to the estimate of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, was 930 in the same period. The novelty compared to the previous month is the emergence of several volunteer organisations, which led to the introduction of another meal - dinner. The situation of hygiene has improved with the mobile toilets set up by some volunteer organisations. Yet, a large amount of accumulated garbage and the appearance of rats in the area of the barracks/warehouses is a particular reason for concern and another health risk.
Praxis continued its field work in February and provided a total of 628 newly arrived refugees and migrants (374 adults and 254 children) in Belgrade with relevant information, which is a significantly higher number of arrivals than in the previous month. Out of the total number of newly arrived refugees and migrants, 291 persons or 46.3% of them were from Afghanistan, which is more than in the previous period. A total of 86 newly arrived refugees and migrants were from Syria, which accounts for 13.7% of the total number. This percentage is similar to the percentage from the previous period. 98 refugees came from Iraq (15.6%), mainly families, which is a smaller percentage than in the previous period. 90 refugees (14.3%) came from Pakistan, all single men and unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). A total of 63 refugees (10%) came from other countries - Somalia, Palestine, Lebanon, India, Yemen, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Egypt, which is more or less the same percentage as in the previous period.
Download the Protection Monitoring Report HERE.
In New Year without Citizenship, ID Card, Pension, Social Welfare
Over the past few months, Praxis has been addressed by an increasing number of citizens facing the problems when trying to obtain ID card due to the lack of the Serbian citizenship. Specifically, those people were born in one of the countries of the region and possessed permanent ID cards and were not aware that they were not registered in the citizenship registries. They now have to obtain new ID cards, biometric ID cards, until 2016. In addition to people from Croatia, BiH, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia, a few persons born in Bulgaria and Romania also addressed Praxis.
Those are mainly old people born in twenties and thirties of the last century, who have no one in their place of birth who could help them obtain documents that would be used as evidence in the procedure for admission into citizenship of Serbia which they are forced to initiate. These persons are often helpless, ill, bed-ridden, blind or alone, and it is almost impossible for them to go to the court to have their power of attorney verified or to go the police station to submit the request for admission into citizenship.
Given the length of the correction procedure and the procedure of admission into the citizenship (from 6-12 months), it is certain that these persons will not possess valid ID card for a longer period of time. Without a valid identification document, they will not be able to exercise many of their basic rights, such as health protection. Also, there is a risk that cash social assistance will be abolished, as well as the possibility to receive pension they previously exercised the right to.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
Praxis alongside 50 other civil society organizations calls on European countries to end childhood statelessness
Today the European Network on Statelessness (ENS) which represents over fifty civil society organisations from across Europe including Praxis will hand over a petition to members of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe calling on European leaders to work to end childhood statelessness.
The petition which received over 21,000 signatures highlights the need to protect thousands of children in Europe from the scourge of statelessness, and is a part of a wider campaign bringing together a broad spectrum of actors mounting pressure on European countries to reform their nationality laws which prevent children from acquiring a nationality.
For more information, see the related announcement here.
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