With a view of examining what is behind prejudices against and negative public image of people who seek asylum in certain countries of western and northern Europe, NGOs Group 484, ASTRA, Women’s Roma Center “Bibija” and Nexus – Vranje formed a research team to study reasons, motives and stories of life difficulties and hopes that drives seasonal migration of Roma citizens of Serbia in search for better life in the asylum system of EU countries. Report “Asylum Seekers from Serbia: Migration, Poverty and Risks of Trafficking in Human Beings” shows their experiences from this voyage, what they are faced with upon return, risks related to such migrations and their experience of exploitation, violence and trafficking in human beings.
Reflecting on the findings they made, members of the research team also tried to offer recommendations and solutions for policy makers which could lead to decrease in migration towards the borders of the European Union. These solutions cannot and must not be reduced to purse political risk of reintroduction of the visa regime. Instead of easy blame, shouldn’t we wonder where lies responsibility for such migration? Where is the problem: in thousands asylum requests submitted by the citizens of Serbia or in the reasons which made them submit such requests?
Report “Asylum Seekers from Serbia: Migration, Poverty and Risks of Trafficking in Human Beings” has been made within the project “Prevention of Human Trafficking in the Context of Asylum Seeking by Roma Population from theterritory of Serbia” with support of the Government’s of Serbia Office for Human and Minority Rights.
The report is available only in Serbian. English summary