In April and May 2016, Association Atina organised two two-day trainings in Preševo and Sremska Mitrovica, on the topic “Protection of refugees, victims of gender-based violence, in the local context”, within the project “Local support for the most vulnerable refugees” which is supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Trainings are designed for professionals in this field who are working in Šid, Sremska Mitrovica, Preševo and Vranje, with the aim of better understanding of the issue of gender-based violence, as well as human trafficking, and more adequate response to it.

The trainings were held for more than 60 representatives of institutions involved in direct work with refugee population - social welfare centres, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, health institutions, representatives of border police and public order and safety, representatives of local governments and local networks for the prevention and support to victims of human trafficking from Sremska Mitrovica and Vranje.

The objectives of the training were to strengthen cooperation between the relevant institutions involved in the provision of adequate prevention, protection and support to victims of gender-based violence, and to emphasise the necessity and importance of establishing a functional inter-sectoral cooperation.

By exchanging experiences through examples from practice, participants identified the gaps in previous work that neglected gender and cultural aspect of working with refugees, and therefore the needs of the future development for both awareness and policies and procedures in dealing with the most vulnerable categories among the refugee population.