SARAJEVO – Conference on communication and cooperation between the institutions, CSO’s and the media that was held on 22 June marked the end of the EU SOCEM project, with which the European Union has supported Bosnia and Herzegovina in its efforts to enable better monitoring of the human rights in the county and ensured more humane form of social protection for the most vulnerable citizens. EU SOCEM enabled direct communication of the BiH Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees with institutions at all levels, and with CSO’s and media, in order to enable access to data concerning the human rights situation in the country, EU Delegation to BiH stated.

Massimo Mina, Head of Section for social development, civil society and cross border cooperation, said that Bosnia and Herzegovina faces several social problems that must be addressed through improved systems of social protection and inclusion for all, in particular vulnerable persons such as children, persons with disabilities and elderly.”With this project the EU helped Centres for social work in BiH in improving social services, as well as assisted BiH authorities in improving monitoring capacities of the human rights protection in the country. Social inclusion and protection of human rights are very important themes of the EU and this is the very timely moment when the country is preparing the reply to the EU questionnaire which will allow providing an opinion of the EC on the request for candidate status of BiH,” said Mina.

The project established a Data base on the state of human rights in BiH that will enable all the institutions involved in the human rights to access the data necessary for work related to the human rights protection and in the fight against discrimination enabling BiH to report towards international committees.

A simple model of open, honest and direct dialogue, while respecting criticism and good intentions to work together to create a better environment for the protection of vulnerable people, has indicated very good results and created a positive atmosphere and readiness for further joint work.

With its great part, EU SOCEM supported social protection system enhancement working on developing home care assistance model directed to third life age persons in the state of need. The willingness of the social protection institutions to adjust to the needs, enhance standards and be open for new approaches in work enabled visible life quality improvement of citizens to which this service has been provided.

The project which is funded by the EU in the amount of EUR 1.758.000 has achieved significant progress and set up foundations for further upgrading of the established models of cooperation among institutions at all levels, as well as with civil society and the media.