Sectors	Rule of Law and fundamental rights
EU Acquis Chapters	Justice, freedom and security
EU funds	10 649 667 €
Implementation period	2020 - 2024
Categories	Civil society;  Gender ;  Climate action ;  Digital (Mouse hover to see significance)

This project is the 3rd phase of the EU Special Measures to support the response to the refugee and migrant situation in BiH. The overall objective is to support BiH in the areas of migration, reception and border management in the context of increasing numbers of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, who for the purpose of this document will be referred to as Persons of Concern (PoC), who have been transiting through the country since the end of 2017. Faced with an increasing number of refugee and migrant boys and girls staying in BiH, state institutions, UN agencies and NGOs have recognized the need to ensure that greater efforts are made to allow children to exercise their right to education. In the future, the support by UNICEF to unaccompanied and accompanied children including safe zones, legal guardians and other services will continue as during the current period, and adjustments will continue to be made as the numbers, situation and needs evolve. A key challenge that persists is the absence of appropriate and suitable alternative care arrangements for the most vulnerable UASCS, with the majority being accommodated in TRCs. Alternative family-based care arrangements and supported independent living options should be explored and considered in line with the best interest of each child, and discussions with key counterparts on these issues continue. Regulations related to child admission, placement, care planning, and case review should be based on BiH case management guidelines and aligned with broader efforts to strengthen the care system in the country. The rapid deterioration of COVID-19 epidemiological situation and public health measures imposed by governments to contain and mitigate the outbreak, including lockdowns of reception facilities, curfews and movement restrictions have severely impacted the health and welfare of refugee and migrant women and girls. The complexities of COVID-19 coupled with frequent and often unsuccessful onward movement attempts resulted in a prevalence of GBV against refugee/migrant women and girls, men and boys. PoC access to primary and secondary health care, through increased quality, efficiency and accessibility of health-care services (involving professional medical staff sensitive to refugee and migrant issues. Project will be subject to a Multi-Partner Contribution Agreement between the European Union (EU) and IOM, UNICEF, UNHCR, and UNFPA. The primary focus will be to maintain ongoing activities supporting the coordination and management of reception centres, provide for the basic food and shelter needs of PoCs, including water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and facilitate access to protection services. Special attention will be given to persons with vulnerabilities and special needs, such as children, in particular Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC), single parents traveling with children, single women, pregnant and lactating women and other vulnerable individuals through improved identification and referral pathways.

Implementation of this project will result in: - Support to the Management and Operations of 7 TRC's to offer decent living conditions for more than 6,040 people (before the closure of Bira TRC) to an acceptable standards - Through these reception centres, PoC had access to food, non-food-items, psycho-social support services, information, counselling and legal aid, and primary and secondary health care. - State authorities, with the support of IOM and its UN partners, have developed a plan for suitable accommodation solutions for vulnerable individuals. - Through providing direct support to MoS and MHRR, UNHCR ensured vulnerable PoC living in AC Delijaš and RRC Salakovac, providing them with adequate reception and services; - The asylum system in BiH was strengthened through enhanced capacity and refugees and asylum-seekers received necessary free legal aid and legal information. - Protection outreach for vulnerable individuals located outside of TRCs was strengthened, through improved coordination, monitoring and referral, while at the same time providing community-based protection in TRCs. Especially vulnerable individuals benefitted from protection-sensitive accommodation in safe houses.