Praxis
Young Ambassadors Take on the Challenge of Tackling Childhood Statelessness
#StatelessKids Youth Congress was held in Brussels on 11-13 July 2016 in the organisation of the European Network on Statelessness (ENS). Praxis has been a member of ENS since its foundation. The congress was attended by Ivanka Kostić, Praxis Executive Director.
It was the first youth congress dealing with the issue of statelessness, which brought together 35 young people, as well as experts in this field, from Spain, Portugal, Poland, Albania, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Slovenia, Macedonia and Serbia. The congress took place at the premises of Maastricht University in Brussels.
One month before the congress, ENS launched a campaign entitled #StаtеlеssKids with the aim to draw attention of the European countries to the urgent need of preventing childhood statelessness in their countries. ENS pointed to the fact that most stateless children in the European countries were born in Europe, and that many of them would not have been without citizenship if the countries had applied the measures of protection envisaged by international law. The campaign also stressed the fact that over one half of the European countries had failed to fulfil these obligations, thus depriving thousands of children of the right to citizenship. The European Network on Statelessness set an ambitious goal to eradicate statelessness in Europe within one generation, strongly believing that it has the necessary strength to achieve this goal. Thus, besides ENS, which has 103 members from 39 European countries, 35 young ambassadors will play an important role in achieving this goal. ENS firmly believes in the potential of young people to influence changes in society, as proven by many previous human rights initiatives.
At the congress, ENS spoke about the phenomenon and definition of statelessness and how it affected the life of children. The young ambassadors also received instructions, information and practical advice on the possible ways of getting involved in the campaign #StаtеlеssKids. During the training session, they practiced how to explain to others, in less than 90 seconds, that every child was entitled to citizenship, what statelessness was and why its eradication was important. They had the opportunity to hear how they could influence policies in their countries, decision-makers and how to advocate for the application of protective measures envisaged by international law. They also learned about various strategic approaches and possibilities of communication through film, media and social networks.
Two young ambassadors from Serbia, Ivana Radojković and Dijana Dačković, were among the congress participants.
"These were three amazing days, with many new acquaintances, enjoying the chocolate and charms of Brussels, and most importantly, we had the opportunity to expand our knowledge at the excellent lectures of experts and to discuss the problem that Europe needs to take seriously and finally implement the right measures and solve the problem of statelessness among children“. (Dijana Dačković)
"The whole event was marked by intense and interesting work, as well as the excellent energy of wonderful young people from all over Europe, ready to take part in resolving the problem of statelessness, which is a serious but solvable issue. The congress has enabled us to acquire precisely the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively promote the campaign "No Child Should be Stateless" and thus contribute to the process of eradicating statelessness in Europe." (Ivana Radojković)
Read more about #StatelessKids Youth Congress and a visit to the European Parliament at this link.
Sign the petition for preventing childhood statelessness here.
Migration Status Recognized as a Ground of Discrimination in Educational Institutions
During the public discussion on the Regulation on detailed criteria for the recognition of discrimination by an employee, child, student, or third party in the educational institution (“The Official Gazette of RS, no. 22/2016), Praxis suggested that migration status should be entered as a ground of discrimination. Specifically, prior to the adoption, the Regulation was part of the public discussion, and civil society organizations, as well as other relevant authorities, had an opportunity to comment on the draft.
The submitted comment was accepted, and the Regulation, which was finally adopted after seven years in March 2016, became thus the first legal act in Serbia that explicitly recognizes the migration status as the ground of discrimination. Bearing in mind the current migrant crisis, identifying migrant status as a ground of discrimination is of great importance, and its inclusion in other relevant documents is the essential precondition for the creation of a responsible and just society.
Download the Regulation here.
NRC - Praxis Humanitarian Report for June 2016
On and before June 20, to mark the World Refugee Day, together with Refugee Aid Miksaliste and Info Park, NRC-Praxis organised events for refugees involving making and flying kites, sports and music inthe park near the bus station and in Miksaliste. We used the opportunity to call for Safe Passage for Refugees; reminding European governments of the need to urgently scale up and operationalise safe, legal avenues that allow people to seek and obtain asylum in Europe, such as resettlement and relocation.
The number of refugee arrivals to Belgrade in June is similar to that in May (around 150 new arrivals daily). But with fewer departures and increased pushbacks taking place from Hungary to Serbia, there is an increased number of refugees staying in Belgrade longer, with frequently over 500 persons present on a given day. Refugees continued coming to Serbia from both the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) and Bulgaria, while some opted for a route via Albania and Kosovo, which is a new development. Most refugees continue their journey towards the Hungarian border, where the number of official crossings permitted daily remains very low (15 persons at each of the border crossings of Horgos and Kelebija), and refugees have to wait for several weeks in dire conditions.
In June, NRC-Praxis assisted over 4,300 beneficiaries in total with protection services, bringing the total number assisted since the project started to over 22,000 persons.
At the end of the month, Refugee Aid Miksaliste announced its hub for refugees would temporarily close because of the constant pressure from the local community, security issues, as well as lack of financial means. It will reopen as a centre primarily for women and families with children. This will have a negative impact on service provision to single men, who are the great majority of beneficiaries, and on the sanitary and security situation in Belgrade parks, the only remaining place for them and who are often very vulnerable in their own right.
Download the report HERE.
Field Activities 2016
Praxis' legal mobile team visited the following:
December
- 27 December – Roma settlement "Dalas", Tutin
- 12 December – Roma settlement "Prekodolce", Vladicin Han
- 8 December – Roma settlement "Bagremar", Kragujevac
- 6 December – Roma settlement "Midzor", Bela Palanka
- 2 December – Roma settlement "Beograd mala", Nis
November
- 8 November – Roma settlements "Barlovo" and "Radomira Milovanovica", Kursumlija
- 4 November – Roma families from Guca, Lucani
- 3 November – Roma settlement "Rasadnici", Pirot
- 1 November – Roma settlement "Lepenicka Street", Kragujevac
October
- 28 October – Roma settlement "Podvarce", Leskovac
- 26 October – Roma settlements "Sever" and "Brezonik", Bor
- 25 October – Roma settlements "Grljan" and "Avramica", Zajecar
- 21 October – Roma settlement "Zitoradje", Vladičin Han
- 18 October – Roma settlements "Gornja Grabovica" and "Brankovina", Valjevo
- 14 October – Roma settlement "Fekovica brdo", Sjenica
- 11 October – Roma settlements "Crvena Zvezda" and "12. Februar", Nis
- 3 October – Roma settlement "Cegarska ulica", Kragujevac
September
- 27 September – Roma settlement "Vozegrnci", Novi Pazar
- 14 September – Roma settlements "Banjska ulica" and "CC Tehnicka skola", Bujanovac
- 13 September – Roma settlements "Lole Ribara", "Tefika Seljimija" and "Baraka soc. stanova", Presevo
- 6 September – Roma settlement "Kozara", Trstenik
August
- 29 August – Roma settlement "Licika", Kragujevac
- 10 August – Roma settlements "Jelasnica" and "Masurica", Surdulica
- 9 August – Roma settlements "Ciganski Rid", "Pavlovac" and "Tibuzde", Vranje
- 4 August – Roma families in Koteks barracks, Kragujevac
July
- 22 July - Roma settlement “Gornji Brestovac”, Bojnik
- 19 July - Office of the Roma Association “Tocak”, Merosina
- 15 July - Roma families in the village “Backi monostor”, Sombor
- 12 July - Roma settlement “Samarinovac”, Zitoradja
- 8 July - Roma settlement nearby Dallas company, Tutin
- 5 July - Roma settlement “Mramorska ulica”, Nis
June
- 30 June - Zabrana nova Street, Batajnica, Zemun
- 13 June - Roma association "Edukativni centar Roma", Subotica
- 10 June - Roma settlements "Surducka" and "Dudara", Zrenjanin
- 7 June - Roma settlements "Vase Nikolic" and "Aleksinacki rudnici", Aleksinac
- 3 June - Roma settlement "Zabari", Aleksandrovac
May
- 31 May - Roma settlements, Aleksandrovac
- 31 May - Roma association "Romski glas", Vrsac
- 26 May - Roma settlement "Surcinski put", Novi Beograd
- 26 May - Roma settlements "Milivska kolonija" and "Veliki Popovic", Despotovac
- 19 May - Roma settlements "Barje Ciflik" and "Nova mala", Pirot
- 17 May - Roma settlements "Zitni potok" and "Solunska ulica", Prokuplje
- 11 May - Roma settlement "Karadjordjeva ulica", Mladenovac
- 10 May - Roma settlement "Dalas", Tutin
April
- 28 April - Roma settlement "Brana" , Cuprija
- 26 April - Roma settlements "Sever" and "Brezonik", Bor
- 21 April - Roma settlement "Vozegrnci", Novi Pazar
- 18 April - Roma settlements "Midzor" and "Murica", Bela Palanka
- 7 April - Roma settlements "Dedina" and "Mudrakovac", Krusevac
March
- 31 March - Roma settlement "Vinogradska ulica", Surcin
- 30 March - Roma settlements, Pecinci
- 28 March - Roma settlement "Fekovica brdo", Sjenica
- 25 March - Roma settlement "Licika", Kragujevac
- 22 March - Roma settlement "Bavaniste", Kovin
- 15 March - Roma settlement "Mali rit", Pancevo
- 10 March - Roma settlements "Kajmakcalanska" and "Kolonija", Smederevska Palanka
- 3 March - Roma settlements, Smederevo
- 1 March - Roma settlement "Dren", Obrenovac
February
- 25 February - Roma settlement "Veliki rit", Novi Sad
- 23 February - Roma settlement "Plekano selo", Zabalj
- 19 February - Roma settlements "Beograd mala" and "Stocni trg", Nis
- 18 February - Roma settlements, Kikinda
January
- 28 January - Roma settlements, Kostolac
Praxis at the Presentation of Legal Protection against Discrimination
On Friday, 15 April, Praxis participated in the presentation of the analysis of legal protection from discrimination in Serbia. The presentation was organized by Human Rights Centre of the Law Faculty as part of sub-project “Legal Protection against Discrimination in South East Europe”, supported by GIZ.
In addition to the colleague Kristina Vujic, who presented Praxis’ work through the research on access to socioeconomic rights for Roma women, the speakers were also the representatives of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality and Office for Human and Minority Rights, as well as the representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, and PhD Ivana Krstic, who prepared the analysis.
The results of the regional analysis of the anti-discrimination in Serbia, with special emphasis on the importance of educational institutions were presented. The Commissioner presented the most important findings of the new Regular Annual Report of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, which states that two most common grounds for filing a complaint are gender, nationality and ethnicity.
Download the Regular Annual Report of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality here.
Praxis at the Presentation of Legal Protection against Discrimination
On Friday, 15 April, Praxis participated in the presentation of the analysis of legal protection from discrimination in Serbia. The presentation was organized by Human Rights Centre of the Law Faculty as part of sub-project “Legal Protection against Discrimination in South East Europe”, supported by GIZ.
In addition to the colleague Kristina Vujic, who presented Praxis’ work through the research on access to socioeconomic rights for Roma women, the speakers were also the representatives of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality and Office for Human and Minority Rights, as well as the representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, and PhD Ivana Krstic, who prepared the analysis.
The results of the regional analysis of the anti-discrimination in Serbia, with special emphasis on the importance of educational institutions were presented. The Commissioner presented the most important findings of the new Regular Annual Report of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, which states that two most common grounds for filing a complaint are gender, nationality and ethnicity.
Download the Regular Annual Report of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality here.
Number of Refugees Arriving in Belgrade "Steadily Rising” - FOND B92
The number of refugees in the park near the Belgrade Bus Station has been increasing and the humanitarian organisations say that the last weekend was the most dynamic so far. As they say, the number of the refugees transiting through Belgrade continued to increase and only in the afternoon and evening hours about 600 of them sought assistance in the Asylum Info-Centre. They also say that the situation is very close to the scenario of the beginning of last summer.
Info-Park representatives state that the record number of 818 food parcels were distributed in the park near Bristol Hotel by Refugee Aid Serbia, Miksalište, Divac Foundation Evangelical Church, NSHC/Care, Praxis and Info-Park. Food parcels include sandwiches, canned foods, noodles, cooked meals, pastries, cookies, fruit, tea, coffee. It is also noted that it is generally believed that the trend of the increase in the number of refugees has been initiated by an unhindered activity of smugglers who help them cross the officially closed Balkan borders, and by favourable weather conditions.
Read more here.
BG: Kites and Futsal for the World Refugee Day - B92
The World Refugee Day was marked with the activities in the area of Bristol Hotel in Belgrade, where for a long time the majority of refugees who pass through Serbia on their way to the EU have been staying. In the morning hours, refugees, with the help of activists, prepared kites adorned with the messages of hope and paper lanterns and used them to beautify the space in which they were staying. With the sounds of traditional music of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Arab countries, refugees showed their authentic dances, flew kites, played badminton or participated in the futsal tournament in a good atmosphere. The celebration of this day was jointly organised by Info-park, Miksalište and NRC/Praxis, inviting all actors to continue to invest maximum efforts in ensuring safe passage and protection of all refugees in Serbia.
More information is available here.
See the event photo gallery on the website of Radio Slobodna Evropa.
On the Occasion of the World Refugee Day
June 20, World Refugee Day, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. On the eve of this day, during the previous week we shared with you experiences and knowledge we have gained through our work on protection of refugees from Middle East and Africa. We shared with you who are the people we meet, what they did, what they were thinking about and who they were "before", but also to share where they go, what they hope for and what is the desired “after” for them. How similar we are and how different; how much and what we have learned about each other and from each other.
Today, once again, we raise our voices for their urgent protection, human rights and for life in safety and dignity!
Today we want to remind you that, as we speak, violence continues to force hundreds of families to flee each day and yet there are very few safe channels that people can take to reach protection and safety. With Europe’s land borders sealed, people are forced into the hands of smugglers and into overcrowded boats on the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. Even more, they are forced to go on long, risky journeys over land and life threatening conditions. Many lives have been lost.
We want to remind you that these people are people like you and me, who had no choice, but to flee and leave everything behind, in search for a better life. And as they have no other choice, they will continue to risk their lives, exposing themselves to smugglers and all sorts of risks as long as there are no safe alternatives.
The only way Europe can prevent a worsening crisis on its territory is to replace the smugglers by providing a safe, legal and free alternative to reach Europe. Thus today, we urge those in power to urgently provide functional legal avenues allowing refugees to reach Europe safely and move through the legal migration pathways. And we invite you, our friends, colleagues and coworkers, to join us and continue to raise your voices for Safe Passage and urgent protection of refugees, of people like you and me, who, at this moment, need our support!
What and how much we have learned about each other and from each other
"Shukran" is Arabic for "thank you".
"How are you" is "kejfa haluk".
Good is "Bihair".
"La bihair" is when it is not so good.
And everything will be only "Insallah" - "if God wills".
"Taman" is Serbian "taman", “just right”, and everything is clear.
Tea is "šaj" and it’s consumed on a daily basis and with lots of sugar. Almost as if you drank sugar with some tea. If there is no sugar, there is no point in tea.
Appropriate size of trousers in Afghanistan is not measured by using “the elbow method”, but by the “the neck method". You stretch trousers around the waist, holding with fingers the two farthest ends. Then with the part which normally goes around the waist, try to circle your neck. If the ends are touching, the size is appropriate. A good choice is confirmed by the head nodding to the left and to the right, meaning approval.
Decisions are made within a group, with the approval of all present. The problems are being solved in the same manner. People who fell close or relatives often hold hands.
The most popular Pakistani musician was Nustrat-Fateh Ali Khan. Ali Khan was able to sing for hours without stopping, and with the first beats of his music people from Pakistan gather instantly. And so the conversation turns into a group dance.
And the dance turns into a laughter; into conversations about the meaning of different names and words, and the best culinary recipes. Several bagels, biscuits and sardines turn into a festive lunch, and one Belgrade park turns into a place, where at least for a moment, despite all the hardships that brought us together, all becomes tamam and all is bihair. For those moments we are grateful to each other.
To those moments - shukran!
- 1
- 2
- 3
POPULAR TAGS
