A/HRC/44/42/Add.2
registration to reside at the centre. Some of them claimed to be minors. The Special
Rapporteur learned that, although there were some empty beds at the facility, a part of them
were reserved for those who had left the facility for less than 48 hours, given that they might
return.
28.
The Borići temporary reception centre exclusively hosts families with children,
unaccompanied or separated children and individuals with other vulnerabilities. The
maximum capacity is 430 beds and, at the time of the visit, there were approximately 280
individuals residing there.
29.
The Miral temporary reception centre predominately accommodates single men and,
on a temporary basis, unaccompanied or separated children. The facility has a capacity of
approximately 600. On the day of the visit of the Special Rapporteur, the facility hosted 613
migrants, including asylum seekers, with approximately 100 individuals waiting outside the
facility hoping to be accommodated.
30.
The Sedra temporary reception centre is exclusively for families with children,
unaccompanied or separated children and other individuals who are prioritized for voluntary
relocation from other sites in the country. The facility has a maximum capacity of 420 beds.
At the time of the visit, there were approximately 300 individuals accommodated there.
31.
The Ušivak temporary reception centre has a capacity of up to 800 beds. On the day
of the visit of the Special Rapporteur, approximately 730 individuals were accommodated
there. The residents at the facility were predominately single men, but there were also
families, unaccompanied or separated children and other individuals belonging to vulnerable
groups accommodated there.
B.
Families with children
32.
The Special Rapporteur noted with appreciation the efforts made by the staff, many
of which were nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina, by the relevant United Nations agencies
and by civil society organizations to create dignified, child-friendly and gender-sensitive
living conditions for families with children, as much as resources allowed. In Sedra and
Borići temporary reception centres, where most families with children are accommodated,
there are a wide range of activities and services provided to the families living there. There
are designated areas for nursing mothers and education and recreational activities for women
and children of various age groups, and psychosocial support is provided.
33.
The Special Rapporteur remains concerned that some families with children were
accommodated at facilities that were designed for single men, such the Bira temporary
reception centre. He learned that families were regularly relocated to more appropriate
facilities, like the Borići and Sedra temporary reception centres.
C.
Unaccompanied and separated children and other individuals with
protection needs
34.
In general, existing reception capacities for migrants, including asylum seekers, and
the conditions of some temporary reception centres do not sufficiently meet the current needs,
both in terms of capacity and protection-related requirements. Over 10 per cent of the people
on the move in Bosnia and Herzegovina are children, more than one third of whom are
unaccompanied minors.9
35.
Although extremely vulnerable persons are often referred to non-governmental
organization-run safe houses or other appropriate shelters whenever available, there is a lack
of appropriate alternative housing provided by the State for unaccompanied or separated
children and victims of abuse and exploitation. Due to the lack of alternatives, the Bira
temporary reception centre, designed for accommodating single men, is currently housing
mixed populations of single men, unaccompanied minors and families with children. The
Special Rapporteur notes with appreciation that United Nations agencies, as well as civil
9
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), “Situation analysis of children in Bosnia and
Herzegovina”, p. 21. Available at www.unicef.org/bih/media/4971/file/Situation%20Analysis
%20of%20Children%20in%20Bosnia%20and%20Herzegovina.pdf.
7