Ina's Voice

For 13 years, the Blue Phone has been a rare constant for children in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a free, confidential, and safe line where they can talk about their deepest worries without fear of judgment. In 2026 alone, the service run by the NGO Nova Generacija receives an average of 400 calls per month. Among these, around ten calls each month involve reports of violence, and nearly 70 percent of callers are girls.

Mental health is one of the most common reasons children call. But sometimes the conversations become even heavier. Suicide often emerges as a topic, especially among adolescents aged 13 to 20. More and more young people are choosing to reach out via chat, because it is easier for them to speak about self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and violence in a more direct, written form.

Interestingly, a growing number of young people discover the Blue Phone in an unexpected way – through ChatGPT, which directed them to this service when they were searching for help.

This is the story of one of them. Let us call her Ina.

Ina is 13 years old. To those around her, she is a quiet girl, withdrawn, not very social. For three years, she was the target of severe peer bullying at her school in one of the cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It started with words – mockery, insults, exclusion from the group. But words, as Ina experienced, can be weapons. Over time, the verbal violence sometimes escalated into physical violence. She came home with bruises she never explained. 

At home, she felt invisible. She believed her parents treated her differently than her younger siblings. They didn't notice the silence that had replaced her laughter, or that she avoided family meals, or the long sleeves she wore even in summer. She never confided in them. She had lost hope that anyone would believe her.

Once, she gathered her courage and told the school pedagogue. The pedagogue spoke to the class. Nothing changed. The bullying continued, and Ina learned a painful lesson: asking for help can only make things worse.

So she stopped seeking help. She tried to ignore the cruelty, believing that if she endured it, the violence would stop. It didn't. Instead, the pain turned inward. She began self-harming.

There was one moment of light. A school trip with peers from another school, away from her tormentors. For a short while, she felt normal, even happy. She thought things were turning around. But returning to school was like reliving a nightmare. The violence resumed, and the despair returned, deeper than before. She saw no way out. 

One day, Ina shared her suicidal thoughts with someone in her environment – someone who listened without panic. That person told her about the Blue Phone.

Over several conversations with the counselors at Nova Generacija, she did something she hadn't done in years: she spoke. She talked about the bullying, the self-harm, the feeling of invisibility at home. She admitted that she had no will to live.

The counselors didn't just listen. They gave her practical, life-saving advice. They asked her what she loved. Drawing. Music. Together, they made a plan: when suicidal thoughts came, she would try to redirect that energy into her sketchbook or play her favorite song. It was a distraction, but also a reclaiming of small joys.

However, Ina refused to report the violence. She was terrified. She didn't know what would happen if she initiated a process with the Center for Mental Health or the Center for Social Work. Would she be separated from her family? Would anyone even believe her?

Her fear is not unique. Nova Generacija recently conducted focus groups with adolescents about their perceptions of mental health centers and social work institutions. The results were devastating. Many young people associate these institutions with addictions, severe violence, and family separation. They are afraid that if they report family violence, they will end up outside their home. That fear keeps them silent.

Ina's counselors understood this. They carefully explained the referral process to her. And they offered a different path.

With Ina's full consent, the Blue Phone team sent an anonymous report. They sent it to her school, the relevant Center for Social Work, and the police. The name was not disclosed, but the details were clear: a child had suffered in silence for three years and needs help.

Within a few days, the school responded. They confirmed that the case would be properly processed and that psychologists would be involved. Just five days later, the Center for Social Work reported that they had contacted the family. Ina's mother, the social worker noted, had not known how much her daughter was suffering. The family was offered support and guidance.

The counselors of the Blue Phone, together with Ina, also made an important agreement: she promised them that she would not harm herself, that she would continue to fight, and that in the future she would contact the Blue Phone again when she is feeling bad.

Ina never called the Blue Phone again.

That silence is not a sign of failure – on the contrary, it is the ultimate measure of success. She didn't have to call back because she had received the help she needed. The school was now involved. The Center for Social Work was monitoring the situation. The family had been informed. But most importantly, Ina learned that she is not invisible. She learned that there are adults who will believe her, who will fight for her, and who will protect her.

Maja Kovačević, a counselor at the Blue Phone, recalls Ina's case with quiet pride. "Ina taught us that the bravest thing a child can do is not to fight alone – but to, after years of silence, tell the truth to someone who listens."

Ina's story is proof of the power of a single helpline. But it is also a warning. The Blue Phone operates with limited resources, and counselors are saving lives on a minimal budget. More than 30 percent of all calls today relate to mental health, and too many calls go unanswered.

That is why UNICEF and Nova Generacija are advocating for a systemic, sustainable solution: institutional recognition of the Blue Phone as a service of public interest, stable long-term funding, and the introduction of the single European child helpline number – 116 111.

No child should have to suffer in silence for three years. No child should have to discover a lifeline through a ChatGPT search. And no child should ever feel invisible.

Ina's story had a happy ending, but for thousands of other Inas across Bosnia and Herzegovina, the line must remain open.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact the Blue Phone at 080 05 03 05, every working day from 9 AM to 5 PM. You are not alone.