UNHCR works in BiH through advocacy, capacity-building, direct implementation and through partners including the authorities to provide information to newly arrived people on the move, and identification and referral of people choosing to seek asylum in BiH. UNHCR coordinates with various stakeholders to support the authorities in providing key services to asylum-seekers, refugees and people under subsidiary protection including in key gap areas such as the COVID-19 response, child protection, legal aid, psychosocial support, gender-based violence, non-formal education, communicating with communities, accommodation for vulnerable individuals, and support to the integration of recognized refugees and persons under subsidiary protection including upgrading the legal framework.
To ensure a safe environment for asylum-seekers and other vulnerable groups, UNHCR works on protection mainstreaming in reception centres including through functional complaint mechanisms and harmonized inter-agency information management. Moreover, UNHCR builds the capacities of the authorities through regular training and exchanges with other national asylum systems.
UNHCR provides free legal aid for individuals at risk of statelessness and works with authorities at the local and State level to raise awareness on gaps in law and practice, unblock cases and advocate to end statelessness by 2024.
UNHCR provides free legal aid for a limited number of vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) for access to rights and has a role in the Regional Housing Programme, which provides reconstruction assistance and social housing for vulnerable returnees and IDPs.