ANNUAL REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Example: The Ombudsman received a complaint of a pedagogue 359 working in a primary school
from Olovo in which she sought the Ombudsman's intervention to help solve the problems of two
students of that school who were obviously grossly neglected by their father and left to fend for
themselves. Representatives of the Institution held a meeting with the school principal and
pedagogue, established cooperation with the Social Welfare Center in Olovo and the local police
station, which resulted in successful resolution of this problem. Now the children attend classes
regularly, the house in which they live has been painted, the hygienic conditions have improved,
and much better communication has been established with the children's father. On this occasion,
Ombudspersons welcome the actions of the school pedagogue, but also other actors, because they
expressed readiness for joint cooperation, and in the end the problem was successfully solved in
the best interest of the children.
8.3. Children on the move
Bosnia and Herzegovina sees the trend of a constant influx of irregular migrants in 2019, while
the the authorities are faced with a number of problems and challenges in dealing with this
population, especially when it comes to children.
Ombudspersons want to emphasize that given the complexity and severity of the challenges faced
by some cantonal ministries and social welfare centers in their attempts to protect the children of
irregular migrants, it is very important to establish adequate coordination and provide the
infrastructure necessary to protect migrant children. Ombudspersons welcome the harmonization
at the level of the Sarajevo Canton of the procedure for the treatment and protection of migrant
children in the Sarajevo Canton, which can serve as a good example and a guide for the action of
social welfare centers in protecting vulnerable categories of refugee and migrant children in the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 2018 Ombudspersons published their Special report on situation in the area of migrations in
Bosnia and Herzegovina 360, and a special attention was paid to the children on the move. In this
report Ombudspersons analyzed the accommodation conditions and capacities intended for
children on the move, the role of the governmental and non-governmental sector, international
organizations in protecting the rights of this category, and based on the established situation issued
recommendations to the Council of Ministers.
The students of the Primary School „25 November“ from Velika Kladuša addressed
Ombudspersons in their capacity of the children's rights protectors to indicate to the problems they
are facing on a daily basis due to the large number of migrants constantly present in the streets of
Velike Kladuše including the immediate vicinity of their school 361. They asked Ombudspersons
for help in order for the competent authorities to provide a school zone in which the movement of
unknown persons would be restricted - which includes the migrants who violate the safety of
students and to prevent the transit of unknown persons through the school yard through which they
pass on a daily basis, where they stay, often sleep, use alcohol and narcotics, leave the packaging
Ž-SA-01-1095/18
https://www.ombudsmen.gov.ba/documents/obmudsmen_doc2019010713545979bos.pdf
361
Ž-BL-01-883/19
359
360
87
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