The Sixth Western Balkans Civil Society Forum was held on July 10 and 11 in Sarajevo, under the auspices of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). This gathering represents a continuation of dialogue between various civil society organizations, as well as previously started discussions on various issues societies in the Western Balkans are facing.

At the panel “Assisting and protecting Human Trafficking Survivors in the context of armed conflict, refugees and mixed migration flows: lessons learned on the ground” where the representative of Atina, Marijana Savic, took part, speakers were also Nadia Murad, UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. Speakers were as well Yury Fedotov, UNODC Chief, and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Representative of the Board of Trustees, UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children.

On Monday, May 22 2017, the final, sixth working meeting The rights of unaccompanied and separated refugee children in Serbia was held in Belgrade, organized by Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, to mark the end of the project “Making a Difference for Refugee Children in Europe”.

After years of advocacy in the Republic of Serbia, a step forward has been made, and under the Law on Police, a decision has been reached to appoint Chief Police Advisor, Mitar Djuraskovic, as the Acting Head of the Office for the Coordination of Activities in Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, within the Police Directorate.

Citizens’ Association Atina and its partners, Konrad Adenauer Foundations (KAS) and NGO Macedonian Lawyers Association began implementing an international project “Let’s Build Together”, during which work will be done on integration of migrants into the societies of Serbia and Macedonia.

The project “Let’s Build Together – Community Monitoring and Advocacy” (“Let’s Build Together”) is aimed at improving the position of migrants and refugees in Serbia and Macedonia, especially women and children among them. It is being implemented by Konrad Adenauer Foundation, in cooperation with Citizens’ Association “Atina” and NGO Macedonian Lawyers Association, with the financial support of European Union.

23 May 2017 - "I am so happy to hear that some of the girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, were released," UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for Human Trafficking, Nadia Murad, told a packed meeting hall during the Crime Commission on 22 May.

During the session “European Open Space to analyze, strategize, and (re)claim rights of female Refugees and Migrants” a report was made about the ways in which the position of woman refugees and migrants can be improved. This particular report provides in-depth view of the discussion, and serves as a good starting point in contemplating strategies on how to improve the policies and practices facing female migrants and refugees, as well as to identify ways of working together among women’s rights organizations and women migrants and refugees associations. 

During the month of May, a panel topic was organized by The Global Fund for Children in Dallas, Texas, on the topic “Trusting in the Power of Local: A Working Model for Transforming Lives”.

Citizens’ Association Atina has had the honor to share their experiences in working on the ground with the most vulnerable persons from the refugee population with the students of the final year of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad. The Department of Journalism organized a lecture on Wednesday, March 22, for more than 20 students who came to hear representatives of the Association Atina, and asked numerous questions.