On 26th November the publication ’Game People: Irregular migration and risks’ was presented to the public. The publication describes the risks and problems faced by migrants and refugees on their way towards EU countries. The focus is on young adults up to 25 years old and children that are travelling without parents or an adult caregiver. From August to October 2019, CRPC implemented Focus Group Discussions and workshops with young adults and Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC), accommodated at various asylum and other reception centres for refugees and migrants, as well as in institutional care and other facilities for UASC in Belgrade, Sjenica, Loznica and Nis. The aim was to ascertain the gravity of risks of irregular migration faced by this population group, and to raise awareness about these risks.
The authors Saman Ali Vjestica and Maja Dragojevic (CRPC) expressed special gratitude to Marija Marjanovic for the compilation of a dictionary of commonly used phrases connected with irregular migration on the Western Balkan route, unique piece for the region. The slang used by irregular migrants illustrates how words were given additional meaning based on the peculiar social situations these people were exposed to during their harsh and dangerous journey. In addition, Saman Ali Vjestica stressed that it is important to know that behind all the stories and data collected are the people. Her main intention was to give human faces to each of the story, as only an individual approach is adequate when making the irregular migrants legally visible.
Hans Friedrich Schodder, Head of UNHCR Serbia, pointed out how important it is to collect the data on irregular movements and he confirmed that what CRPC presented is a valuable scientific proof. The suspended application of the rule of law with the borders being closed opens the space for increased exploitation of the people and therefor there is a need to step up the protection system.
The publication is available below in English, while the brochure designed for the young migrants is available in English, Farsi, Pashto, Urdu and Arabic.
