Children on the move in South East Europe

Children on the move in South East Europe is the title of the first regional conference addressing the issue of protection of children in process of internal or external migrations, taking place in Belgrade today.

There are no official data on number of children on the move, but there are 215 millions of migrants and 740 millions of internally displaced persons around the world. Having in mind increase in number of migrants in the region within past several years, following liberalisation of visa regime and Croatian entry into the EU and demands that regional countries are faced with, the conference was organized by Save the in North West Balkans, with support from Save the Children Norway.

Conference gathers about 100 representatives of state institutions, including relevant ministries, civil society organisations, representatives of international community and respectable experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Norway, Great Britain, Hungary and Italy in order to discuss key issues that children affected by migrations in southeast Europe are exposed to. The conference will present recommendations and international standards and obligations in protection of children affected by migrations, aiming to initiate wider dialogue among regional countries in order to recognize lessons learnt, challenges and similarities, but also to consider creation of regional cooperation mechanisms in order to provide adequate protection and support to children on the move, at the country and regional level.

„The role of states as well as non-governmental organizations is to do whatever it takes to minimize risks that children are exposed to and to ensure fulfilment of all the rights guaranteed by UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Particularly, it is of great importance to ensure that best interest of the child is of primary consideration in all the interventions towards children affected by migrations (and again, especially unaccompanied children),“ stated in his address at the conference Bjorn Hagen, Senior Advisor at the Save the Children Norway.

„It is very important to face with two challenges when it comes to solving issue of safe migrations. First is protection of state borders and second protection of human rights,“ said in his opening remarks Mitar Djuraskovic, Coordinator for combatting trafficking in human beings in Serbian Ministry of Interior.

Mila Jelavic, Croatian Ombudsman for Children was one of the speakers that presented recommendations regarding improvement of protection systems of children on the move provided by European Network of Ombudsman for Children (ENOC) and Child Rights Ombudsman Network for South East Europe (CRONSEE) that comply with those identified in researches on children on the move undertaken in North West Balkans in 2012-2013.

These recommendations include immediate and comprehensive reaction when children arrive, e.g. provision of information about their rights, access to education and health services, children traveling without parents or caretakers should not be rejected entry into the country, in line with internationally recognized human rights, humanitarian law and rights of refugees.

CRONSEE network recommends, among other things, that Ombudsman Institutions should work more on raising public awareness of necessity for protection of children on the move in order to reduce prejudices against immigrants, especially those coming from different religious and cultural communities.

Research results from Republic of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro about state of the children on the move are also to be presented at the conference, explaining, among other things, why children are involved in migrations, their migration experiences and services they used in these countries from the point of their rights, along with presentation of analyses of harmonisation of domestic legislation with international requirements. Researches in all three countries were conducted by the non-governmental organisations with financial support from Save the Children and expert assistance provided by the representatives of state institutions at national level, and international organisations.

„Data were gathered directly from the key actors – children on the move and professionals that are the first line of support to these children. The studies confirm that the number of children on the move is increasing in all three countries,” underlined Aida Bekic, Child Protection Manager in Save the Children in North West Balkans.

This is why Save the Children in North West Balkans initiated several projects aimed at assisting the states in provision of maximum protection and support to children on the move, fulfilling this way international requirements and becoming safe areas for children.

„Besides, we wish to motivate and improve cross-border and regional cooperation and learning when it comes to maximizing application of the rights of children on the move in the region,“ added Bekic.

Unfortunately, children on the move themselves will not participate in the conference. However, as the Save the Children advocates for children participation in decision making processes, we made sure their voices are heard by relaying their authentic messages and statements gathered though researches. These messages are eye opening, showing in what way we took care of them and stressing our obligation to protect them:

“We walked. At night. It was very cold. We went over the mountains and through some big holes. It was hard for me to walk. My legs were aching. I could not endure it.“

„I was laying down for thirty six hours in the truck in a container which was like a grave. There was no  room, no air. Some people died.“

“I knew when we were crossing the border. Father and mother would tell us to be quiet. We were afraid. Once, my little sister started to cry. I don`t know what would happen if they heard us.“

Children on the move - Status and programmes of support and protection of children on the move in the Republic of Serbia February 2013, NGO Atina (2013)           

”We weren’t afraid even though it’s night time. No one bothers us and we bother no one. If someone insults us, we keep quiet and go on”.

„Some kids are not allowed to go to school by their parents, some have no clothes or the books.“

 „I left my country because of the was that destroyed everything and I don’t want to go back to Syria. I have no place or people to come back to. Situation in the country is very bad, I couldn’t watch television in the past months, to use mobile phone, internet, everything was forbidden to us. My goal is to reach France, as the final destination , where I will reunite with my family.”

Study on protection of children on the move, Montenegrin Centre for Child Rights (2013)

„I don’t feel good, we’re not in jail. They should remove the wires. I feel trapped here. Other children are making fun of us for living here. They throw stones at us, insult us. “

„They don’t fulfil our wishes, no matter how much we ask. I want to be like other kids. Just that.“

„They took my watch, personal jewellery, hygiene products, I don’t even know when is the lunch.“

„I feel bad, police officers are rude to us, I can’t go outside, I’m sad and I wish I could go home. I miss my friends, school, going out, food that we eat.“

„This is worse than jail, this is solitary.“

„We stay awake during the night to sleep during the day because we have nothing to do. I read Qur’an all the time or hang out with my family, we talk. They are my biggest support now. “

I want the be like other kids – Report on children on the move in Bosnia and Herzegovina, NGO Zdravo da ste (2013)

Under the term 'children on the move' Save the Children includes all 'children on the move for various reasons, voluntarily or forced within or outside the country borders, with or without parental or guardian’s care, being exposed by migrations to the risks of inappropriate care, economic or sexual exploitation, abuse, neglect and violence'. The term also includes children refugees or internally displaced persons, asylum seekers, children irregular migrants, children victims of human trafficking, children involved in the street work or living on the street, children returnees in readmission process and similar.

By the end of the day participants will be introduced with different support models to children on the move at national level (Croatian, Italian, Bosnian and Norwegian model) or with different mechanisms of regional and cross-border cooperation such as Transnational referral mechanism regarding referral and support to victims of trafficking.