The life of refugees and migrants is very difficult. They do not always run away from the wars fought with weapons. Sometimes it is a war with reality that limits, oppresses, humiliates and dehumanizes them.
Such was the reality of 44-year-old Fatmata* from West Africa, who now stays in one of the temporary reception centers in BiH.
“I fled to save my life. I fled violence. First, I was raped. Then, I was forced to join a secret society. In that society, I was completely tortured. Very tortured. You can see my body. You can see my body. I have many scars. Yes, I have many. That was why I fled. And then, I came here. I have been here for six months. Here in Bosnia”, she said.
She left behind two children - two sons.
“I also had sisters, three of them, all of them are dead. I lost my mother, she was the leader of the secret society. When she died, they forced me to take her place. I said ‘No’. So, I stayed in the forest for about a year. They beat me every day. There I found someone who helped me escape. He did everything for me. That was how I got here. I walked. But I was lucky that on my way through the forest no one... I didn't experience any violence from anyone. I can't stand it - it haunts me. It's not easy for me. Sometimes I have to take pills to sleep. Because sometimes memories of the past come back to me. I have memories. So, it's hard for me to fall asleep sometimes. But thank you God for Bosnia. I can thank God for Bosnia. They are very nice people here. They are so caring”, Fatmata added.
Data shows that a large number of migrants and refugees transit through Bosnia and Herzegovina on their way to the European Union. But some of them, like our interlocutor, have decided to stay here, in their struggle for a better and safer future. While they are waiting for a decision on their status, i.e. to be granted asylum in BiH, they are receiving support along the way in TRCs in Sarajevo and Bihać. There, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, within the EU-funded project “Individual measures to strengthen the response capacity to manage migration flows in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, provides them with key support through the activities of the Women and Girls Safe Spaces in TRC Ušivak, Sarajevo, and TRC Borići, Bihać.
She is using the services of the safe space almost every day, where she has the opportunity to feel safe, important and valued. There, the beneficiaries have access to the programme of empowerment through workshops on sexual and reproductive health, and individual consultations. A female psychologist works with women and girls every day. Literacy and English and Bosnian/Croat/Serb language courses, as well as numerous creative workshops are also provided. Dignity kits, which contain various hygiene items, are available through the Women and Girls Safe Space to migrant women and refugees.
Fatmata, who replaced a life full of torture and violence with a stay in one of the temporary reception centers in BiH, says:
“Sometimes we have workshops where we make handicrafts, such as necklaces and bracelets. We have fun and socialize. It's good here. The camp is lively. Very, very lively. Sometimes you can hear music, you move your body. It makes you forget many things. Although you can't forget. Not easy. It’s not easy. I really want to work in order to live”.
The project “Individual measures to strengthen the response capacity to manage migration flows in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is financed by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).
*Name has been changed to protect privacy.
