IOM and the Ministry of Security’s Sector for Civil Protection trainied relevant personnel on integrating migrant-related considerations in disaster preparedness and response.

The training targeted 28 migrant reception center workers, security coordinators, civil protection workers (cantonal and municipal offices for civil protection, mountain rescue, firefighters, etc) and local community representatives.

Discussions at the activity also identified challenges to be addressed, including increasing safety and evacuation measures in facilities with more than 1,000 migrants, and improving migrants’ awareness of local risks including drowning in the river at the borders with Croatia and Serbia, and the risk of minefields, heavy snow, wild fires and getting lost in the mountains. The training built on the Guidelines to Protect Migrants in Countries Affected by Conflict or Natural Disasters (MICIC Guidelines), as well as on IOM's MICIC capacity building materials. Since the activity, printed leaflets available to migrants in temporary reception centres include information on the risk of drowning and wild fires. 

The training was delivered under IOM-PRM Regional Migration Program for the Western Balkans. The Assistant Minister for Civil Protection and Rescue thanked the US government for supporting such an important initiative on the importance of including migrants in disaster risk reduction activities.