Child Protection

More than one third of refugee and migrant children encountered in Serbian capital Belgrade in period July – September 2019 reported about being pushed back from some border during their journey through Balkans route. Almost half of these children testified about experiencing violence or witnessing violence during expulsion.

The number of reports of violent push backs increased in comparison to the first half of the year, when around one third of push backs involving children were reportedly violent.

Isabel* and her parents left Cuba in late 2017 and arrived in Serbia, where the family asked for asylum. Their first shelter was the asylum centre in Bogovađa and the girl made her first friends in local school.

In view of the persisting dangers and mounting humanitarian needs in areas of armed conflict, we express our profound concern...

Every third case of push backs of children collected in the first half of 2019 reportedly involved violence.

Running from home and hoping for a better future, Aicha* from Guinea arrived at the Serbian border, where she was stopped when the police established that she is being trafficked and that she might be a survivor of sexual exploitation.