Networking and Capacity Building for More Effective Migration Policy in Serbia – 3rd year

This was the third year of the implementation of this project by the partnership between Group 484 (the lead organisation), the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, and the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy. This project continued to work to provide hands-on policy outputs for the most pressing issues in the areas of asylum and migration. The project specifically aimed to reach consensus on necessary legislative changes based on the Draft Law on Asylum proposed by CSOs in 2014. This was achieved through continuous dialogue and networking between CSOs and national institutions, including scholars and experts. Three expert meetings were organised in order to discuss key issues concerning the Law on Asylum, related to international and EU standards, procedure and jurisdiction, and rights and obligations of asylum-seekers. Thus national stakeholders were provided with the basic knowledge and initial capacities to understand the process of the adoption and implementation of the EU and international standards in the area of asylum and migration. Apart from this the project entailed constant communication with MPs (particularly during preparations for the public hearing) in order to secure their support for the CSOs Draft Law on Asylum.

The National Action Plan for Chapter 24 was used as an advocacy tool for achieving the necessary changes. The comments on the Action Plan for Chapter 24 were drawn up. Policy Advocacy Group (PAG) members, with the support of international experts, developed a methodology and indicators for measuring achievable progress in the implementation of the measures defined by the Action Plan. Achievements and shortcomings in the implementation of the Action Plan were identified through a desk research and intensive monitoring visits to respective facilities.

In the previous cycle, it was identified that local actors, including CSOs, needed more practical knowledge regarding treatment of migrants and asylum seekers and their role in it. For this purpose, a Practical Handbook, containing steps and actions which must be conducted, was produced. Five local promotions of this Handbook were organised. Besides at the local level, in regions with the highest number of asylum-seekers, the project aimed to contribute to social acceptance of asylum seekers by introducing citizens with the migrants’ cultural background and everyday life experience, through various socialising events.