Sarajevo is home to a generation of young people who experienced the war as small children, or who learned about it through stories from their families. Residential buildings marked by bullet holes and craters are just one of the many physicla scars that still remain, 25 years on. IOM has supported 16 young, local street artists to brighten their communities with colour, turning walls into works of art, usign paint that will help clean the city's famously smoggy air.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre estimates that there are 180,000 unexploded mines left over from the wars of the 1990s. Over 130,000 have been removed, and 617 lives have been lost. To alert migrants and IOM Outreach staff about the danger of landmines, IOM recently concluded a series of training sessions in temporary reception centres.  

COVID-19 has increased the number of people vulnerable to the crime of human trafficking. The lips and megaphones the the artwork above symbolise their voices. Other elements highlight the importance of housing, education, justice, economic equity, community and stopping the demand. It was created by US artist and trafficking survivor Kendall Alaimo for #WDATiP 2021

Unlike younger men from Arab, Asian and certain African countries – whose presence in Serbia stopped being surprising years ago – it is uncommon to come across migrant families. We take a look at how IOM Serbia helps then on their journey, and puts a smile back on the faces of the children.

The COVID pandemic sucked countless millions of dollars out of economies that rely on remittances for up to 30 per cent of their GDP. Today, on the International Day of Family Remittances, we look at what can be done to reinforce the key role of remittances as a tool for resilience and as a catalyst for development.