Khan: “Opportunity for BiH to become first Balkan country to reach zero children in institutions”

What are your impressions after three day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina? 

What has impressed me most has really been people’s enthusiasm for the child right agenda. Whether I have talked to municipal workers, or people who have been managing camps for refugees and migrants, or the government partners and others, I sensed the huge commitment to making sure that Bosnia and Herzegovina creates the best opportunities for their children. This year, we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is an opportunity to make a mark and see what kind of difference everyone can make working together.

You met with refugee and migrant children and their families at the Temporary Reception Centre in Usivak, what have you seen there?

In Ušivak, I saw a quite well-organized system. We saw that they had set up toilets; that there were shower facilities; that there was a child-friendly space for children to learn and play, and access psychosocial assistance; that there was a mother-baby corner for mothers with young children,  providing Infant and Young Child Feeding Counseling and access to basic hygiene items, which is extremely important at this time when children are on the move and most vulnerable. I do think the camp is quite crowded and there is going to be a need to look at how we strengthen the capacity to accommodate people coming into Bosnia and Herzegovina, but overall, I was impressed by the commitment and the way in which the centre was run.

How do you see refugee and migrant situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina comparing with region and rest of Europe?

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a much smaller number –  some 30,000 since the beginning of 2018 cumulatively, and currently some 6,500 refugees and migrants. When we look at other countries in the [Europe and Central Asia] Region, they have had a far larger influx over a longer period, but some of the issues stay the same. How do we make sure that there is protection for unaccompanied and separated children in particular, so that they get a proper age assessment and determination of their best interests, that they are given the right kind of care and support and counseling? Secondly, how do we support mothers with small babies so that they can get the right information on infant feeding? Third, how do we make sure that kids who are going to stay for a few months are able to access learning and be integrated into schools and get the right kind of health care services they need? So, really, the model that brings together a whole of government approach to create the right response where we have seen the best response.  It has been the Ministry of Security, Ministry of Health, Education, Social Welfare working together so that there is a national approach to see how to deal with these issues in a coordinated and complementary way.

You met students, teachers and parents in two schools in Sarajevo, one which successfully included children with disabilities into all aspects of school life, and other where refugee children learn alongside their peers. Can these examples of good practice have the positive impact for wider community and how?

I was really touched by the schools, for two reasons -- one being that schools that had children with learning difficulties and hearing impairments, the dedicated counseling that was provided to provide support and the second for integrating those children into school builds up a sense of understanding of differences and acceptance for differences.  And that is important among teachers, among students, among parents because ultimately, we have to remember that a child is a child and every child should have the opportunity to grow and learn and flourish.  When I saw the kids that were in the school coming from the refugee and migrant community, who didn't even speak any language that was spoken in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I recognized that the compassion and commitment that the teachers saw and the potential for these kids to learn and the way that they were learning songs and culture. Under one roof, there was an inclusive set of education that was equal for all children and I think this showed it is possible in Bosnia, and it will build the inclusion acceptance and capacity to build and learn for an inclusive society that is needed in this country.

You helped to launch the new “My Calendar of Immunisation” mobile application. How this application can help for improving immunisation coverage?

The more information parents have and the more power they have in their own hands to make informed choices is incredibly important. If I know and I can register the date of birth, if I can get an alert for when does my child need to be vaccinated, that makes it clear that I have a responsibility, I know where to bring my child, I know that the vaccine will be available and I know that my child will be safe because the quality of that vaccine has been tested. Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect children under 5, and the more we can give parents information that they need and types of alerts and a better record of when and where they need to go, the more the parents are going to make a right choice, which is to vaccinate their child.

Immunisation coverage in Bosnia and Herzegovina is on dangerously low level and there is ongoing measles outbreak. What authorities can and must do to improve it, and what every parent should keep in mind when deciding to vaccinate or not vaccinate their child?

There are few important things. One, is making sure that when a child is born, information is shared immediately with parents on the importance of vaccination. When the child has a follow up with the doctor, the pediatricians need to communicate the importance of vaccination. Second, is the availability of vaccines and more public awareness about the importance of vaccination.  Third, is putting power in the hands of parents to vaccinate their children. And four, is using the opportunity of when children are in schools to identify children who have been vaccinated, those who haven't been and may need vaccination. But really, we need to catch those kids before they reach five years old so that they have the full antigen and full vaccination coverage for the first five years of life.

What is situation with immunisation in Bosnia-Herzegovina comparing with region?

I think Bosnia has lower rates than many countries in the region. You will see in Central Asia, the vaccination rates are very high and what is important to bear in mind is that within the Region, sometimes national averages are good but there are many disparities at the district level.  So, our aim and our target in the region is to reach an immunization level of 95 % nationally and a minimum of 80% coverage in every district in the country. That is very important if we are going to be able to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.

You have participated in the closing conference of the EU-supported programme “Transformation of Child Care Institutions and Prevention of Family Separation”. What this country must do to ensure the most vulnerable children can realize their right to grow up in a caring and nurturing family environment and to “leave no one behind.”?

I think Bosnia and Herzegovina has a huge opportunity. There are only some estimated 750 children in institutional care right now. Many of these children are children with disabilities. If there is an opportunity to provide the right kind of care and support to families, such as early identification, intervention and referral of children with disabilities, support to those communities and families for care of the child, prevention of child abandonment, which is extremely important and that means social workers coming together with healthcare workers to make sure that there is a right kind of support for families. Cash assistance, and cash grants to vulnerable families, so that they don't have to give up their child. All of these are elements that can help Bosnia and Herzegovina reach zero children in institutional care. And the fact that the law has been passed on foster care and there is such a big interest in foster care with more than 580 children in foster care right now, I think there is an opportunity for Bosnia and Herzegovina to be one of the first countries in the Balkans to reach zero children in institutionalization.