Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Serbia + 12 more

UNHCR Serbia Update, 28 May - 10 June 2018

Attachments

  • UNHCR and partners noted an increase in the number newly arriving refugees, asylumseekers and migrants to Serbia. During the last two weeks we encountered and assisted 697, three times the number (230) during the preceding two weeks. 73% arrived irregularly from fYR Macedonia (up from 55% two weeks ago), 11% from Bulgaria (up from 4%), and only 6% by air (down from 31%). 69% were adult men, 9% adult women and 22% children. Most originated from Pakistan (39%), Iraq (22%), or Afghanistan (20%), few from Iran (9%) or Syria (3%).

  • With high number of arrivals as well as irregular departures, reportedly mainly to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants counted in Serbia on 10 June slightly reduced to 2,803. While 2,541 (i.e. 91%) of them were accommodated in 18 governmental centres, over 250 were observed outside: some 150 in Belgrade City and another 100 camping close to borders with Croatia or Hungary.

  • In view of growing movements and protection needs, in May, UNHCR and partners supported authorities with over 11,000 community-based protection services, including over 1,800 interpretation and 6,600 legal counselling/info services, over 500 referrals to medical, social welfare, legal registration and other forms of assistance, provided psychosocial and psychological support in over 270 instances, educational/recreational activities in over 1,200 instances as well as other protection interventions in over 23 locations throughout Serbia.

  • UNHCR and partners received reports by 180 asylum-seekers alleging to have been collectively expelled from Croatia, 30 from Hungary, 33 from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 11 from Romania.

  • Hungary admitted 25 asylum-seekers into procedures in its so-called “transit-zones”.

  • On 31 May, the Representative joined a school day ceremony and met the principal of Branko Pesic School in Belgrade, which enrolls many unaccompanied and separated refugee children. Refugee children participated in the show “Bridges – connecting people”.

  • UNHCR continued providing transport for refugee children to local schools in Sombor, Adasevci,
    Principovac, and Krnjaca.

  • On 01 June, UNHCR signed a partnership agreement with Vizija to adapt three children homes in Belgrade and Nis to support the Government of Serbia in accommodating UASC.