IOM in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) is located at a migration crossroad between Eastern and Western Europe. The conflict in the former Yugoslavia from 1992 to 1995 destroyed the social and economic infrastructure and forced over half of citizens of BH to leave their homes. Today, the return of displaced persons and a rise in illegal migration, such as human trafficking and smuggling, make migration a major challenge for BH’s post-conflict recovery and development.

IOM initiated a mission in Sarajevo in 1992 in the basement of Koševo Hospital, setting up the MEDEVAC programme to evacuate war-wounded individuals who could not be treated locally. Following the end of the war, IOM expanded its activities to the return of refugees from abroad and to assist BH nationals resettling in third countries. Today, IOM’s programmes aim to prevent irregular migration, stop the trafficking of human beings, contribute to national development, and assist the BH Government to manage migration activities.

During the migrant and refugee crisis in 2015 - 2016, IOM - the UN Migration Agency - together with the international community, scaled up its presence in Greece and the Western Balkans, and in particular in North Macedonia and Serbia part of the so-called Western Balkan route, to support national authorities and civil society in responding to the emergency situation, and providing direct assistance and protection to migrants, particularly those most vulnerable to violence, exploitation and abuse, or a violation of their rights.

Following the significant increase of migrant arrivals to Bosnia and Herzegovina in late 2017, IOM, in coordination with State, Entity, cantonal and local authorities, scaled up its operations in key migrant locations across the country through the reinforcement of IOM Mobile Protection Teams. These mobile teams have been operating since June 2017, assisting migrants in vulnerable situations, providing safe transportation, interpretation services, provision of temporary and protection-sensitive accommodation, food and other necessities.

IOM Mobile Protection Teams – strategically located to be able to cover the entire migration route, from the Eastern border with Serbia and Montenegro to the North-West border with Croatia, and the main reception centres and informal settlements – performed vulnerability screenings and referred migrants to appropriate assistance and protection service providers.

 

Latest News and Events

  • IOM’s Migration Response (as of November 2019)

     

    In 2018, with the support of the European Union (DG ECHO and DG NEAR), IOM opened four fiveTemporary Reception Centres in Una Sana Canton and Hadzici Municipality with the support of the Council of Europe Development Bank.

     

  • SAOPŠTENJE ZA MEDIJE / PRESS RELEASE

     

    Evropska unija donirala pet vozila Graničnoj policiji BiH

     

    (Sarajevo, 13. decembar 2019. godine.) – U sklopu projekta Evropske unije za podršku Bosni i Hercegovini u oblasti migracija i upravljanja granicama, danas je Graničnoj policiji BiH uručeno pet novih Ford SUV vozila ukupne vrijednosti 124,000 eura.

    Ova donacija će značajno olakšati napore Granične policije BiH u svakodnevnom obavljanju posla čiji je obim povećan zbog prisustva migranata koji borave na teritoriji države.

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    EU donated five vehicles the Border Police

     

    (Sarajevo, 13th December 2019) – As part of the project of the European Union to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in the areas of ​​migration and border management, five new Ford SUVs worth 124,000 euros have today been handed over to the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    This donation will support the efforts of the BiH Border Police in their day-to-day operations due to the increased presence of migrants in the country.

     

     

  • Regional support to protection-sensitive migration management in the Western Balkan and Turkey

     

    REGIONAL SUPPORT TO PROTECTION-SENSITIVE MIGRATION MANAGEMENT IN THE WESTERN BALKAN AND TURKEY

     

  • IOM’s Migration Response (as of October 2019)

     

    IOM’s Migration Response (as of October 2019)

  • Zajednička izjava / Joint Statement

     

    UN u BiH apelira na vlasti u Unsko-sanskom kantonu da ne ograničavaju slobodu kretanja migranata, tražilaca azila i izbjeglica i od državnih vlasti da odmah odrede novu adekvatnu lokaciju za prihvat i smještaj migranata

     

    14. novembra 2019. godine

    Operativna grupa za koordiniranje aktivnosti i nadzora nad migracijskom situacijom na području Unsko-sanskog kantonaje 13. novembra 2019. godine  donijela zaključke o uvođenju blokade dva prihvatna centra: Bira u Bihaću i Miral u Velikoj Kladuši.

    Ovim mjerama, migrantima, tražiocima azila i izbjeglicama, uključujući djecu bez pratnje,zabraniti će se ulazak i izlazak iz ta dva centra, osim u slučaju pokušaja prelaska hrvatske granice.

    The United Nations in BiH urges authorities in Una Sana Canton not to restrict the freedom of movement of migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees and for State authorities to immediately identify a viable new location for migrant reception and accommodation

     

    14 November 2019

    On 13 November 2019, the Operational Group for Resolving the Migration Crisis in Una Sana Canton took the decision to introduce a lockdown of the reception centres Bira in Bihać and Miral in Velika Kladuša.

    Such measures will prohibit migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, including unaccompanied children from entering or leaving the two centres, unless doing so to attempt crossing the border into Croatia.

     

More news

Latest Vacancy

Title Duty Station Closing Date
SVN 08-01-20 Project Officer/Area Development Officer Sarajevo 2020-01-30
BHRI107 - RFQ – Maoca Zipline - Poziv za dostavljanje ponuda 2020-01-31
CVN 01-01-20 National Expert on Migration Statistics and Data Processes (1 position) 2020-01-31
CANCELLED - SVN 04-11/19 Migrant Assistant Zivinice
SVN 07-01-20 Project Advisor Banja Luka 2020-01-29

IOM Sarajevo launches report funded by the IOM Development Fund

Today in Sarajevo, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched the report, ‘Mapping Major Migration Flows Over the Territory of Western Balkan Countries, 2009-2013'. This report was produced by IOM with the aim of supporting Western Balkan governments in formulating adequate policies to enhance the management of increasing mixed migration flows from, through and to the Western Balkans region. The report presents findings based on a mapping of the main regular and irregular migration flows through the territory of the Western Balkans in the period 2009-2013. The report presents migration to and from WB countries for the purposes of work, education and family reunification; irregular entry and stay of extra regional migrants; international protection; return of Western Balkan citizens under Readmission Agreements; and trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants in the region.

English

IOM Director General’s Message on International Women's Day 2015

By William Lacy Swing

More women are on the move than ever before. They represent approximately half of the world’s one billion migrants and are approximately half of the estimated 51 million displaced persons.

On this year’s International Women’s Day, IOM calls on the international community to ensure the empowerment of migrant and displaced women through the full realization of their human rights.

English

Japan Backs Reconstruction, Disaster Preparedness Projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Following catastrophic floods in May 2014, the Government of Japan yesterday (23/2) committed 6.2 million Bosnian Marks (USD 700,000) for two one-year projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). IOM will implement the BM 1.2 million Repair and Reconstruction of Centres for Disabled Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina project, which will repair and reconstruct five centres for children with disabilities, which were seriously damaged in the May 2014 floods.

English

IOM study “Labour Mobility as a Factor of Development in South-Eastern Europe”

This country reports are part of the broader IOM study “Labour Mobility as a Factor of Development in South-Eastern Europe” conducted within a project funded by the IOM Development Fund and implemented by IOM in partnership with the governments in the region in 2014. The research team produced seven separate reports for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, UNSC resolution 1244-administered Kosovo, Serbia and one regional overview. The seven reports looked at the policies and regulative mechanisms which govern labour mobility, in terms of their approaches in facilitating movements of specific categories of migrant workers, consistency with evolving regional objectives and compliance with the EU acquis and standards.

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#MigrationMeans

Within the project ‘’Scaling up Universal Access for Most at Risk Populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina –mobile populations’’ (HIV/AIDS Round 9), supported through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP BiH), funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), IOM Sarajevo hold two trainings from 16.09.- 19.09.2014, on HIV/AIDS and Mobility for municipal level health care professionals who provide healthcare services to – among others - migrants and mobile populations.

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The Educational-Experiential Workshops Titled “Preservation of Mental Health of the Soldiers-Rescuers upon Participation in Crisis Interventions” held

During August and September 2014, within the implementation of the Project of provision of psycho-social support to the population affected by floods during May 2014, educational-experiential workshops have been held with topic “Preservation of mental health of soldiers-rescuers upon participation in crisis interventions”.

English

Special High Level Event Devoted to the First Observation of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

UN Headquarters, New York, July 14, 2014

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure for me to be here today and to represent the International Organization for Migration at this important event to observe, for the first time, the World’s Day Against trafficking in persons.

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