Croatia - IOM has concluded its one-year EUR 756,000 emergency response project launched in September 2015 to help Croatia cope with an influx of migrants and refugees trying to reach western Europe.

The project, funded by the Council of Europe Development Bank through its Migrant and Refugee Fund, supported the government’s crisis response and provided direct assistance and protection to migrants and refugees.

This included providing timely assistance to migrants and refugees through the provision and distribution of non-food relief items, emergency shelter and housing; monitoring migrant flows using IOM’s Mobility Tracking Matrix; migrant capacity building and early integration activities through language and cultural orientation workshops; and raising the awareness of migrants and refugees on the rights, services and infrastructure available to them.

Its achievements included equipping a winter reception and transit centre with 20 housing containers, rental of a 2,500 square meters, reception tent and bathroom refurbishment at an asylum seeker reception centre. Project staff also completed over 3,500 surveys and organized 180 language and intercultural workshops.

The project focused on the protection of vulnerable groups, including women with children, the elderly and people with disabilities. It contributed to a better understanding of migrants' needs and supported concerted action by the government and humanitarian partners to provide the assistance needed.

For further information please contact Tatjana Radosevic at IOM Croatia, Tel. +385 1 481 68 81, Email: tradosevic@iom.int