Due to the Covid-19 situation, the Ministry of the Interior has restricted activities in the reception centres to essential ones. Entrance is also restricted to essential personnel, including MOI staff, Croatian Red Cross (CRC) and Médecins du Monde (MdM).
In Croatia, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) runs the Reception Centres for asylum seekers in Zagreb and Kutina and is responsible for providing services through non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Currently the MOI has contracts with the Croatian Red Cross and Médecins du Monde.
Croatian Red Cross
The Croatian Red Cross has been implementing a program of psychosocial assistance and protection for asylum seekers in Reception Centres for Asylum Seekers (RCAS) since 2003, in cooperation with, and with the support of the Ministry of the Interior and UNHCR. The Assistance and Protection Program seeks to respond to the psychosocial, educational and humanitarian needs of asylum seekers during their stay in reception centres and, with their active participation in planning, to offer quality programs tailored to their interests, age and cultural values.
The main areas of work of the Croatian Red Cross in RCAS Zagreb and Kutina are the following:
- organization of daily life and practical assistance,
- individual and group psychosocial support,
- organization of social, educational and sports activities,
- special care for vulnerable groups (children, among them especially unaccompanied and separated children, women, people with health and mental health problems, survivors of torture and trauma),
- advocacy to improve the reception and care of asylum applicants.
Croatian Red Cross
Website: www.hck.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
Médecins du Monde (MdM)
Médecins du Monde (MdM) / Doctors of the World is an international humanitarian medical organization in Croatia. They operate as part of the Belgian branch of Médecins du Monde – Belgique (MdM-BE), a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency and long-term health care to vulnerable groups and advocates for equal access to health care for all.
In Croatia, MdM are implementing two projects related to asylum seekers:
- Disease prevention, psychological support, access, and assistance in health care for applicants for asylum
- Empowerment of women and children to combat sexual and gender-based violence
Médecins du Monde (MdM)
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.medecinsdumonde.be
Other helpful services
There are a number of other organisations which provide additional activities for asylum seekers in the Reception Centres, such as:
Croatian Red Cross
Address: Ulica Crvenog križa 14, Zagreb
Website: www.hck.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
HPC – Croatian Law Center
Address: Andrije Hebranga 21, Zagreb
Website: www.hpc.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
Association MI
Address: Sinjska 7, 21 000 Split
Website: www.irh.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
PGP – Civil Rights Project
Address: Stjepana i Antuna Radića 6/5, Sisak
Free legal phone: 0800 200 098
Website: http://www.crpsisak.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
JRS – Jesuit Refugee Service
Address: Maksimirska cesta 286, Zagreb
Website: www.jrs.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
CCD – Center for Culture of Dialogue
Address: Prilaz Safvet-bega Bašagića, Zagreb
Website: http://ccd.hr/
E-mail: [email protected]
CMS – Center for Peace Studies
Address: Selska cesta 112 a, Zagreb
Website: www.cms.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
Are You Syrious?
Address: Brune Bušića 42, Zagreb
Website: www.facebook.com/areyousyrious
E-mail: [email protected]
DPP – Society for Psychological Assistance
Address: Ulica kneza Mislava 11, Zagreb
Website: www.dpp.hr
E-mail: [email protected]
RCT – Rehabilitation Center for Stress and Trauma
Address: Kvaternikov trg 12, Zagreb
Website: www.rctzg.hr
The list is non-exhaustive and will be updated regularly. We invite organizations that wish to be included to contact UNHCR.