Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

One in three migrants and refugees in Serbia face mental problems that require professional assistance, as stated on 18 April at the presentation of the results of the study by the Red Cross of Serbia and Psychosocial Innovation Network (PIN), presented as part of the publication “Mental Health of Refugees and Migrants”.

The results of the survey, according to the presenters, do not differ significantly throughout the entire migrant route, thus although obtained by collecting data in Serbia, they can be useful for other countries that migrants pass through. (…)

“Refugees and migrants face depression, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety. They have problems with an uncertain future, since they do not know what their life will be like in the next six months”, noted Jovana Bjekić from PIN, emphasizing social integration as key for overcoming all the difficulties, including those related to mental health. (…)

Nataša Todorović from the Red Cross of Serbia noted the importance of cooperation between various organizations, and that this makes goals easier to achieve. Emphasizing the recommendations for better psychosocial support to migrants, she noted the need for improving coordination among the countries the migrants are passing through, to better apply the recommendations.

“Our key message is that data on the mental health of migrants needs to be collected regularly, while respecting confidentiality and autonomy. This would serve to design appropriate services for what they actually need, not what we think they need”, said Todorović.

Achieving the consensus that it is necessary to provide available psychological assessments when receiving asylum, appropriate monitoring of the health of those displaced along the entire migrant route, provide training in emergency psychological assistance to all those working with these vulnerable groups, and provide a programme for migrant education to improve their knowledge and skills are just some of the presented recommendations intended to ease the suffering of people leaving their homes in search for a better life. (…)

Author: Vojislav Milovančević, Media Centre

Photo: Media Centre

Source: www.mc.rs