Croatian asylum policy and practice has changed since the first asylum law came into force.  However, the integration of persons who have been granted a form of international protection remains an issue, including with respect to legal aid.

This programme therefore provides legal assistance regarding the family reunification procedure and other legal issues. In addition, JRS organises various types of counselling services as well as integration-oriented actions like language courses and children’s cultural activities.

JRS organises daily meetings with asylum seekers to provide psychosocial support. Programme components include:

• Assessment of needs for the most vulnerable asylum seekers
• Legal aid via individual counselling and group workshops
• Medical care assistance, including purchase of prescribed medications for asylum seekers who could not afford them and payment for doctor’s consultations not covered by emergency medical care provided by the government
• Croatian language courses
• Children’s activities organised on a regular basis by JRS (painting workshops, crafts, etc.)
• Christmas lunch
• Creation of a common space for beneficiaries of international protection where JRS staff provide various services (psycho-social support, legal aid, employment-related services, meeting space, workshops)
• Visits to beneficiaries of international protection in their households
• Meetings with Croatian authorities, politicians and members of the government to advocate for the rights of beneficiaries of international protection
• Awareness raising events
• Study visit to Amsterdam for relevant stakeholders, with the aim to learn about integration from the Dutch experience

During 2016, the programme provided psychosocial support to 387 persons and legal assistance in 202 cases. Over 700 beneficiaries participated in different workshops. Medical assistance was provided in over 1,000 cases. Visits were made to over 50 beneficiaries in their households. The beneficiaries received psychosocial support and essential items like food. The Christmas lunch event gathered 20 Croatian families and 55 refugees, helping to foster contact and communication between local communities and refugees.

The programme staff advocated for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees through many activities:

• Participation in seminars, round tables, workshops and conferences
• Proposal to Parliament regarding amendment to the new Aliens Act (regarding irregular migrants), some of which were accepted
• JRS Legal Officers provided legal aid 2-3 times per week and advocated on behalf of beneficiaries in individual cases.
• JRS Director participated in several round table discussions in different high schools as an expert speaker.
• JRS Director was a member of a Working Group to prepare the Action Plan for Integration of Refugees in Croatia, organised by the Croatian Government’s Office for Human Rights and Minorities.

The members of the staff meet regularly (once a week) to discuss the activities in progress and give updated information about the beneficiaries’ particular needs and progress. The project director, with the support of the project officer, monitors the progress of objectives based on the Project Database and the Narrative and Financial report.

The programme works in close cooperation and consultation with the UNHCR Office in Zagreb. The project was evaluated internally by the JRS Programme Manager and externally by UNHCR staff.

The target group for the programme are beneficiaries of international protection.

Funding for the programme came from UNHCR.