The Japanese company UNIQLO, a global partner of UNICEF and UNHCR, has donated 6,500 pieces of clothing to help refugee and migrant children in Serbia, some of which were distributed during the winter months. Today, in the Transit Centre for Refugees and Migrants in Adaševci, UNICEF started the distribution of the spring and summer clothes UNIQLO has provided for children and babies who are stranded in Serbia.
The United Nation’s response to the refugee and migrant crisis is made possible by its donors and partners, and thanks to the Government of Serbia.
The hand-over ceremony was attended by Mr. Vladimir Cucić, the Commissioner for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia, the Ambassador of Japan to Serbia, H.E. Mr. Juichi Takahara, and UNICEF and UNHCR Representatives in Serbia, Mr. Michel Saint-Lot and Mr. Hans Friedrich Schodder.
In addition to last year’s financial support to UNHCR and UNICEF for their work connected to the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, in 2016 the Government of Japan provided an additional grant of US $4.57 million in response to the refugee and migrant crisis in Serbia.
The funds allocated to UNICEF in Serbia have been used to support children and women refugees and migrants and for the provision of adequate and safe child-friendly and mother-and-baby spaces, nutrition and winterization items. Japan has supported UNHCR to assist the Government of Serbia in improving shelter and sanitary conditions for refugees and provide them with life-saving food and non-food aid.
“Children are among the most vulnerable categories of migrants and any help is highly appreciated. The Government of the Republic of Serbia has been investing great efforts to provide the best answers to the serious migratory challenges. One of these responses was the refurbishment of the Adaševci motel into the Transit and Reception Centre. Cooperation with the United Nations system has always been at a high level and this partnership will be nurtured in the future as well. I use this opportunity to extend our gratitude for the donation to the Government of Japan and the United Nations,” said Mr. Vladimir Cucić, the Commissioner for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia.
“Serbia did not produce refugees, nor is it their preferred destination. Notwithstanding, the Government of Serbia, local authorities and the citizens of Serbia in general, have behaved responsibly and humanely assisted refugees in transit. The Government of Japan has recognized such a humane behaviour and has supported Serbia through international organizations, such as UNICEF, UNHCR, UNDP, the International Organization for Migration and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Japan also provides direct assistance to the municipalities affected by the migrant crisis”, said Ambassador Takahara, adding that Japan would continue to support Serbia hoping that the Government of Serbia would continue to treat refugees stranded in Serbia in a humane manner.
UNICEF in Serbia’s Representative, Mr. Michel Saint-Lot stressed that UNICEF’s emergency assistance to refugees and migrants was focused on children. “I want to thank the Government of Japan for its continuous support to UNICEF’s work, in Serbia and globally. The Japanese generous financial contribution has helped UNICEF secure safe places for refugee and migrant children to rest, play and receive psychosocial support by qualified professionals, and also for women to breastfeed in privacy and prepare and provide age-appropriate food to their children. UNIQLO’s donation of clothes complement the supplies of both winterization and summer items we have been securing for children and babies.”
Addressing the media, Mr. Hans Friedrich Schodder, UNHCR Representative in Serbia said: “The Government of Japan is one of the biggest donors to UNHCR operations worldwide. In Serbia, we have enjoyed continuous, unfailing cooperation since the early 1990s. Thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Japan, last year we been able to help the Government of Serbia improving accommodation and sanitation conditions in the Reception Centre in Presevo where refugees have been assisted from the very onset of the crisis. The UN Refugee Agency will continue supporting the Government of Serbia to further improve the conditions of persons of our concern, provide basic legal and medical assistance, enhancing the work of mobile teams.”
For more information, please contact:
Jadranka Milanovic, UNICEF, +381 63 336 283, [email protected]
Mirjana Ivanovic Milenkovski, UNHCR, + 381 63 275 154; [email protected]
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