UMCOR Serbia Archives

The NGO Decja Radost (Children's Joy NGO) Kindergarten in Zajecar takes in Roma, IDP and special needs children like Bojan, Alesandar, Dijana, Rados, Nikola, Dimitrije and Ugljesa. The kindergarten received UMCOR funding under the 'Strengthening Civil Society' Program (see below).

PAST PROGRAMS Cross-Boundary Minority Returns» Community Based Rights Awareness Program» Civil Society» Community Revitalisation through Democratic Action» Developmental Relief» Background At the end of June 2005, UMCOR closed its program in Serbia after almost five years of work with disadvantaged groups across the country. UMCOR's programs covered a broad spectrum of activities in the fields of community development, civil society, human rights awareness, and the return of internally displaced persons to Kosovo. However, by the beginning of 2005, it was clear that UMCOR's role in the country was coming to an end as government and local civil society groups were increasingly able to take on the burden of development projects themselves. UMCOR NGO therefore strategiccally decided to leave Serbia, handing over certain activities to local groups, and to concentrate its activities elsewhere. In October 2000, UMCOR signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with Action by Churches Together (ACT) to become its operational member in Serbia and Montenegro (SCG). UMCOR established its presence in Belgrade in January 2001 to meet the livelihood rehabilitation needs of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and extremely vulnerable people through the Developmental Relief Program. UMCOR assistance centered on supporting Serbia's development into a pluralistic, inclusive society based on respect of human rights. UMCOR programs in Serbia and Montenegro supported continuing assistance to IDPs through providing information in partnership with Serbian government institutions and non-governmental organizations, strengthening Serbia's nascent civil society and community development in Western Serbia. UMCOR Serbia's head office was in Belgrade. At various times there were field offices in Uzice, Valjevo, Sabac and Nis. UMCOR implemented programs with funding from a variety of generous donors including: Action by Churches Together (ACT), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) of The United Methodist Church, United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM).   Past Programs Cross-Boundary Minority Returns Information booklets developed by UMCOR under the ICBMR Program provided IDPs with information on their home communities in Kosovo. In June 1999, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1244, which calls for the "safe and unimpeded return home for all refugees and displaced persons". In 2002, UNHCR estimated that over 230,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kosovo were accommodated in Serbia and Montenegro. While comparatively few of these minorities have been able to return to their former homes, improvements in conditions in Kosovo, including reduced inter-ethnic tensions and increased political and economic stability, were encouraging more minority families to consider returning. To facilitate the minority returns process, UMCOR implemented programs that provided information to minority families to assist them in making an informed decision on whether to return and direct assistance to those who chose to return to their home communities in Kosovo. For those unable to return in the immediate future, UMCOR advocated and provided direct assistance to ensure that their human rights were protected while in displacement. The Integrated Cross-Boundary Minority Returns (ICBMR) program was implemented over three successive years by UMCOR field operations in Kosovo and Serbia with funding from BPRM. The overall goal of the ICBMR program was to facilitate, support and sustain organized and/or spontaneous minority return to Kosovo. In addition to providing information the possibilities for assisted return and on conditions in Kosovo, UMCOR Serbia field staff worked on the identification of internally displaced families desiring to return to their homes in Kosovo, assessing their needs and accompanying them on visits to their home communities and also preparing the ground for return through facilitating dialogue with the remaining community in the place of return. UMCOR Serbia staff worked closely with their counterparts in UMCOR Kosovo to ensure that adequate assistance was provided in a timely manner to ensure the sustainability of each family's return.

 Community Based Rights Awareness Program

Unlike refugees that are protected under the Refugee Convention by UNHCR, forcefully displaced persons are vulnerable to abuse of their legal entitlements. IDP rights are not specifically covered by a single international legal instrument but are generally covered by a regime of international covenants and conventions that are referred to in the Guiding Principals on Internal Displacement.

Through funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the United Kingdom, UMCOR began implementing the Community-Based Rights Awareness Program (CB RAP) in July 2003 to increase awareness of human rights issues for IDPs in Serbia and support IDPs in accessing the legal framework in Kosovo. The program consists of three inter-related components:

• Education, Information and Institutional Support: Training was given to a group of professionals (NGO representatives, teachers and social workers) on the rights of IDPs. This training provided a basic understanding of human rights issues. including the theoretical background of all international legal instruments. Training participants was required to establish a peer group of colleagues to assess the human rights situation of IDPs under their responsibility and to make changes in the work place to better assist IDPs.
• Legal Assistance: UMCOR worked with a professional legal NGO to provide legal assistance to IDPs in the preparation of cases for representation by an appropriate lawyer in Kosovo.
• Advocacy: UMCOR undertook an assessment of IDP issues in coordination with government institutions and within the context of local government policy. The assessment will serve as the basis for advocating for IDP interests.

Civil Society

For more than two years, UMCOR engaged in civil society building in Serbia and was an effective proponent of the local NGO community with direct support and skills development. Three distinct points aided UMCOR in its activities: 1) In-depth knowledge of the area's political context and NGO community; 2) Linkages and cooperation with municipal authorities, official community structures, private businesses and NGOs; and 3) A commitment to facilitating a holistic vision of civil society in order to promote grassroots initiatives as a response to local concerns.

Through its Strengthening Civil Society (SCS) in Southern and Eastern Serbia Program, UMCOR assisted 44 local NGOs by building their organizational capacities to implement programs and provided direct financial support to twenty local organizations to respond to the needs of their communities through project grants. In addition to supporting the individual efforts of NGOs, the program sought to build a participatory and consultative process between local government and its constituents. UMCOR also designed the Fostering Active Social Transition (FAST) program to continue its support to the NGO sector in Southern and Eastern Serbia.

Two local NGOs that eceived assistance through UMCOR civil society were Udruzenje Majki (Mother's Association) and Decja Radost (Children's Joy NGO) Kindergarten, both in Zajecar.

Community Revitalisation through Democratic Action

Funded by USAID and in partnership with International Relief and Development (IRD) and Camp Dresser and McKee (CDM), UMCOR implemented the Community Revitalisation through Democratic Action (CRDA) Program in Western Serbia. CRDA was a civil society program which used community development activities to demonstrate the value of citizen participation, to support grass roots democratic action and to bring immediate improvement in people's living conditions.

UMCOR Serbia worked with 60 CRDA Community Committees and 3 specialised Cluster Committees; to build citizens' facilitation and planning skills to enable local citizens to identify community social services, infrastructure, economic, reproductive health and environmental projects; and with NGOs, to develop projects to support women, youth or Roma communities. The Committees worked with the CRDA team to implement these projects, which included improving water quality, providing delivery beds and dental chairs, repairing roads and schools and fighting drug abuse among young people. Within the CRDA team, UMCOR worked with communities to improve education, health and social services. In addition to supporting civil society development within Serbia and empowering citizens to become agents of social change, the program facilitated greater participation in group decision-making, the revitalisation of basic infrastructure, an increase in employment, a healthier environment and increased inclusion of the Roma people into society as a whole.

Developmental Relief

The "Informator" monthly bulletin provided information to ethnic Serb IDPs in Serbia on the situation in Kosovo

UMCOR established its presence in Serbia through the Developmental Relief Program to address the needs of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and extremely vulnerable people. The Developmental Relief Program was a multi-faceted program that consisted of four distinct components:

1. Humanitarian Aid Distribution
2. Health Provision
3. Cross-Boundary Information Exchange
4. Local Capacity Building

All components of the program were implemented in partnership with local organizations which were provided with training and technical support to develop their capacities to implement programs as well as influence the peaceful development of their society. The Developmental Relief Program served as a catalyst for current UMCOR Serbia programs.

Updated September 2005