A Counseling center for children victims of violence opened in Niš

The first and only Counseling center for children in the Republic of Serbia was opened on September 8, 2023, within the Safe House in Niš. In addition to the Counseling Center, an SOS hotline service is also available for children to independently report problems and ask for assistance and support from professional workers.

On that occasion, the director of the Safe House Niš, Sonja Šćekić, greeted the attendees and thanked everyone who contributed to realizing the idea of a counseling center for children, but also those who have been supporting the Safe House throughout the years. Bearing in mind the motive of providing the counseling service for children, director Šćekić pointed out that the opening is not a happy event but a humble act of presenting this much-needed service and sending a message to children that they are not alone. A ballet group of children who presented the fight between good and evil through their dance symbolically contributed to the launch of this service. 

Photo: Safe House Niš

Although it was opened within the Safe House for women experiencing violence, the Counseling Center for Children is separated from the safe house by a fence and has its own entrance. “In addition to the purposefully equipped space, an integral and inseparable part, i.e., resource, without which the Counseling center could not even exist are professional workers experienced in working with children, who will be available every day to all the children who need help and support,” director Šćekić emphasized.

Photo: Safe House Niš

Representatives of local institutions also attended the opening, members of the Network against Violence from Niš, the State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Social and Veteran Affairs, Miomir Đorđević, as well as the Deputy Mayor of Niš, Dušica Davidović. Professional worker Bojana Nakić attended the opening of the Counseling center on behalf of “Atina.” A modest contribution to this step in the support and protection of children was provided through the project “Enhancement of Safety of Women and Girls by Increasing Performance of Shelters for Victims of GBV and Domestic Violence,” which “Atina” is implementing in cooperation with five safe houses from Kragujevac, Niš, Leskovac, Vranje, and Priboj, with the support of the UN Women, and financial support of the British Embassy in Belgrade. One part of the work on this project was focused on the adaptation and reconstruction of safe houses, within which funds were earmarked for the adaptation of the existing space in Safe House Niš to increase the safety and security of the women and children staying there. However, it also contributed to developing the Counseling center service for children victims of violence in Niš.

This text was developed under the project “Safety of Women and Girls in Serbia,” implemented by UN Women Serbia in cooperation with the Coordination Body for Gender Equality and Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, with the support of the British Embassy in Belgrade. The views in this text are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UN Women and the British Embassy in Belgrade.