Protection of the Best Interests of the Child in the Registration of Children in Migration Flows through the Western Balkans

Protection of the Best Interests of the Child in the Registration of Children in Migration Flows through the Western Balkans was the focus of an operational meeting held in Neum from 5 to 8 May 2026, with particular emphasis on activities aimed at strengthening cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

The meeting represented a continuation of efforts to enhance the capacities of stakeholders involved in migration management processes and the protection of the most vulnerable people on the move, particularly children who face an increased risk of various forms of exploitation. The programme combined theoretical and practical work, with the aim of strengthening participants’ knowledge, improving inter-institutional cooperation, and fostering connections among different actors involved in child protection procedures.

Special attention was given to challenges in identifying children's vulnerabilities to security risks, including issues related to human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and gender-based violence within migration flows. In this regard, the topics covered further strengthened participants’ knowledge and skills in overcoming obstacles and challenges in child registration procedures, addressing language barriers when working with members of vulnerable groups, responding to fear and negative emotions associated with procedures involving law enforcement and security institutions, and dealing with cases involving individuals who lack identification documents.

The meeting was held within the framework of the project “Strengthening Migration Management, Asylum and Return Processes in the Western Balkans”, implemented by Hilfswerk International in cooperation with the Joint Coordination Platform (JCP). The project is funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Austria.

More about the project: https://hwi.ba/en/projects/refugees-migrants-displaced-persons/strengthening-migration-management-asylum-and-return-processes-in-the-western-balkans/22