Ten constructed/reconstructed houses with accompanying infrastructure were handed over to vulnerable displaced people on 28 December 2015 in Bijeljina. Another ten housing units were allocated on 18 December with the support of the City of Bijeljina that provided urban and construction permits.
The housing units were (re)constructed as part of the EUR 8.1 million worth project “Support to durable solutions of the Revised strategy for implementation of Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement“, which is funded by the European Union (in the amount of EUR 7 million through IPA 2012), co-funded (with EUR 1.1 million) and implemented by UNHCR in cooperation with seven project partners in ten priority municipalities.
“Thanks to, among others, the support of the EU and UNHCR funded project, our community is among the first ones in BiH that initiated social housing projects, most important of which are those providing housing to the most vulnerable Roma and returnee/displaced families. The synergy of several donors and organisations and the local authorities in projects like this one proved to be the most efficient and we expect this cooperation to continue in the future“, stated the Mayor of Bijeljina, Mićo Mićić.
Almir Nuganović grew up with his grandfather in displacement. Today, a husband and father of two, 14 years after returning to Bijeljina, he was handed keys to a new house financed by EU and UNHCR, and he has a home. “I am glad for my grandfather who, after many years in displacement, received closure. For me, and my young family, this housing solution means to have a firm basis for sustainable return and future in this town“, said Almir.
Within the framework of the Project, 100 housing units will be provided to the most vulnerable internally displaced and returnee families throughout BiH. So far 76 houses and six apartment building were (re)constructed in Gradiška, Prijedor, Bosanski Petrovac, Foča, Brčko District, and Bijeljina.
Azema Avdusinović, project manager in Hilfswerk Austria International for BiH, the implementing partner, said: “The beneficiaries of housing units, who are capable of working and did not receive other donations, will be further supported with measures of economic sustainability through the allocation of tools, with the end-purpose of self-employment and income generation“.
The purpose of the project “Support to durable solutions of the Revised strategy for implementation of Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement“ is to assist at least 2.400 vulnerable displaced persons and returnees in BiH, including women victims of war, in finding solutions to social challenges that they are facing every day, through close cooperation between local authorities, local community, civil society and project partners, together with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In cooperation with the local authorities, the project partners are identifying the needs of displaced persons and returnees with the aim of strengthening their social protection and inclusion, provision of health protection for the elderly, education for the children, provision of free legal aid, psycho-social counselling and housing. The project started in 2014 and will be implemented until 2016 in the municipalities of Bosanski Petrovac, Gradiška, Prijedor, Derventa, Maglaj, Bijeljina, Živinice, Mostar, Foča, as well as in the Brčko District BiH.
Project implementation partners include the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Organisation for Migrations (IOM), Hilfswerk Austria International (HWA), Bosnian Humanitarian Logistic Service (BHLS), Foundation of Local Democracy (FLD), and Vaša prava BiH Association.
