During 2016, with the support and partnership of NGO Atina, IRC (International Rescue Committee) conducted an assessment of the protection of women and children within the refugee population in four key locations with the highest concentration of refugees in Serbia - in Preševo, Dimitrovgrad, Belgrade and Šid/Adaševci. Two members of IRC, together with six members of Atina, conducted the orientation in the field, based on the principles of assessment and tools for collecting data, in all these locations.

The aim of this research was to identify risks regarding the protection of women and children within the refugee population, but also to define recommendations which should influence the actors to become more aware and motivated, to actively involve in support of those refugees who are the most vulnerable. Below are the results obtained through interviews with refugees, who voiced their opinions on the issues of gender-based violence and human trafficking. Among other questions, they were asked how they would react if they witnessed violence, sexual abuse, human trafficking, and what they think would happen, what kind of response existed, if any at all, and what kind of protection services...

Their answers to these, and other, questions can be found in the report which follows.