The Western Balkan (WB) countries evidence a growing number of national minors traveling to the European Union (EU) unaccompanied by their legal guardians, as well as numbers of Separated Children and Unaccompanied Minors (UAMs) who transit through the region, in particular from Africa and Asia. So far the response to the migration of UAMs from, and through, the WB countries toward the EU has been weak because of difficulties the WB countries face in identifying and providing assistance to UAMs. By failing to adequately identify UAMs and to meet their specific needs, the countries fail also to guarantee that their human rights - particularly the rights of special protection and care afforded to minors - are being respected and exercised. Prevention efforts for irregular migration of UAMs have also been limited in scope and geographical outreach. Consequently, the project sets as an overall objective to contribute to strengthening the capacity of the Western Balkan countries for applying common approaches and actions in responding to the challenges posed by the migration of unaccompanied minors, in line with EU priorities and actions in the area.
The first project component foresees to undertake a national gap analysis of responses to migration of UAMs, including policies, legislation and institutional capacities in each WB country. This activity will contribute to improved evidence and enhanced knowledge on migration of UAMs from and through the WB region, which in turn is expected to facilitate the identification and referral of UAMs to protection services. In the case of Albania, because of the high number of national UAMs in the EU countries, a more thorough analysis of the national legislation will be undertaken to examine the push factors behind the UAMs migration. In addition, a training module for border officials on identification and referral of UAMs to protection services will be developed and piloted in Albania. Regional dialogue will be promoted in order to identify common actions with respect to the prevention of irregular migration of UAMs, paving the way for the activities foreseen in the second project component. The latter will consist of developing a standard information dissemination toolkit on the rights of minors, as well as risks of engaging in irregular migration in the EU. The toolkit will also foresee the provision of information on country specifics with respect to asylum and protection services for all vulnerable categories of migrants, including for UAMs. The toolkit will be disseminated by the IOM colleagues among the existing networks of Migrant Service Centers’ counselors, border authorities and social service providers in each WB country. The project will apply a human rights-centred approach that takes into account the fundamental principles of decision making based on the best interest of the child. It will also apply a gender based approach and mainstream gender in all project activities.