Ban Jelačić Square, Zagreb
I2UD is in Zagreb, Croatia this week, conducting interviews with different local and humanitarian actors as part of a research grant from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) to assess the role of local authorities and communities in managing the transit refugee situation, which began in Croatia on September 16th, 2015.
In the second half of the week, the I2UD team will be visiting several municipalities in Eastern Croatian near the border with Serbia, as well as the site of the Winter Reception and Transit Centre (which is being dismantled this week) in the City of Slavonski Brod. Coverage of what is being referred to in many circles as “Europe’s refugee crisis” has tended to focus on conditions in countries of entry (namely Greece) or in destination countries (such as Germany). I2UD’s research seeks to elaborate the specific needs of refugees in transit and how Croatian authorities, international and local humanitarian organizations, and the early affected communities assessed and met those needs through effective coordination and cooperation.
The report describing findings from this field research will be published by IIED this coming summer. The project team includes Research Associate Maren Larsen and regional Research Affiliates Maja Horvat and Elma Demir in cooperation with the local NGO Center for Peace Studies.