Mayor of the City of Belgrade, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, UNHCR Representative in Serbia and the Commissioner for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia Building inspected today the construction works for the new building consisting of 45 housing units for the families of refugees and internally displaced persons and the domicile socially vulnerable families in the settlement Kamendin, city municipality Zemun.
Owing to the project of the European Union „Support to the improvement of the living conditions of forced migrants and closure of collective centres“, thirty six refugee and IDP families accommodated in the collective centre “Krnjača” and nine socially vulnerable families from the territory of the City of Belgrade will receive a sustainable housing solution in the new building of social housing in supportive environment.
This project is funded by the European Union and co-funded and implemented by UNHCR. The total value of the new residential building and household equipment is more than EUR 1 million. The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia, as a competent institution for resolving housing needs of refugees and IDPs has directed the attention of the EU as a donor to the most effective means of resolving the housing issues of this population. The City of Belgrade donated construction land and infrastructure. The project is implemented in cooperation with NGO Vizija and the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia. The completion of the works is expected in early 2016.
The concept of Social Housing in Supportive Environment is included in the Strategy for Development and Social Protection of the Republic of Serbia, and has been assessed as the best and most suitable solution for the remaining residents of collective centres. It provides housing for the most vulnerable groups in need of additional support from the local centres for social welfare. To date, the Social Housing in Supportive Environment concept has been implemented in municipalities throughout Serbia where more than 1000 housing units were built, of which 600 with the European Union funds.
The beneficiaries of units in Akrobate Aleksića bb in the settlement Kamendin, City municipality of Zemun will hold the right to use the units as long as they are in a situation of social need. According to the concept of the project, the building will have a host family to act as a link between the residents and the Centre for Social Welfare in Belgrade providing them with necessary additional support.
The Project “Support to the improvement of the living conditions of forced migrants and closure of collective centres” is funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia and implemented by UNHCR with the support of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia and the Municipality of Belgrade. This Project is part of a more comprehensive program funded by the European Union supporting improvement of the lifing conditions for forced migrants – “For a Better Life”, with a total value of EUR 14.2 million.
The part implemented by UNHCR in Serbia consists of two components: construction of prefabricated houses and the construction of housing units within the concept of Social Housing in Supportive Environment, and totals EUR 2,663,978. This project will result in the closure of the last and the largest collective centre on the territory of the City of Belgrade.
The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, together with the donors and implementing partners, has been investing efforts to provide the most adequate durable solutions for refugees and IDPs still residing in the collective centres in the Republic of Serbia.
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