Within the project “Improving the protection of unaccompanied minors in the region” which NGO Atina carries out together with the Permanent Mission of France to the UN and other international organisations in Vienna, a two-day training was held in April for the representatives of the Association for the Social Support of Youth - Arsis from Greece and the Association for action against violence and human trafficking - Open Gate: La Strada from Macedonia, which are in their own countries engaged in providing direct support to the refugee population.

Given the specificity the refugee crisis brings - steady growth of the number of unaccompanied minors and the impossibility of determining the exact number that is much higher, the goal of the training was indicating and mastering specific skills necessary to work and provide adequate assistance and support to foreign unaccompanied minors.

The training provided an opportunity for the professionals to exchange practical experience in previous work with unaccompanied minors, and to improve the existing knowledge in the field of communication tailored to gender roles and cultural differences, as well as the legal frameworks governing the treatment of unaccompanied minors in the national, as well as international, legislation.

During their journey, unaccompanied minors are exposed to a greater risk of exploitation and abuse, child labour, human trafficking and various forms of abuse and violence which requires urgent and comprehensive systematic operation in order to guarantee the safety and security of the most vulnerable.

Since the expansion of the refugee crisis in our region, NGO Atina has been actively involved in direct assistance and support to this population, women who are travelling alone or with children, as well as persons who survived gender-based violence.

With the aim of providing more efficient direct support in the field, NGO Atina conducts numerous educations and trainings for representatives of various organisations and institutions.

Photographs from the training can be found on link http://www.atina.org.rs/en/training-was-held-field-workers-organisations....