Family Tracing and assessment is one of the main activities that IOM Mission in Kosovo is implementing in cooperation with IOM Mission in Italy with the support of the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. This project is the result of the cooperation among IOM Rome, Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, the municipalities and relevant social services, reception centers, diplomatic missions in Italy, as well as the authorities and civil society in the countries of origin.

The Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies in Rome identifies and aggregates minor’s profiles and, upon request of local authorities forwards the request to the IOM Mission in Rome with all the necessary information to trace the minor’s family. After the identification phase, the IOM in Rome forwards the request to IOM Kosovo to further proceed with the family visiting.

During the interview with the families we find out some specificities of the minors who have emigrated to Italy, and the reasons behind emigration. During the Family Tracing and assessment process, the IOM in Italy and IOM in Kosovo closely cooperate in order to provide as much information as possible to facilitate child’s reintegration in the country of origin.

Even during pandemic IOM Kosovo is continuing its efforts on addressing the needs of unaccompanied minors and supporting their decision to return home. AVRR staff is providing with essential needs assessment such as pre departure and post arrival counselling as well as preparing reintegration plan for the minors who are ready for voluntary return.

Special attention IOM is paying on the provision of reintegration assistance to all unaccompanied children registered for voluntary return. As a result, the main activities selected by minors as part of the reintegration assistance involve the following options:

• Education: payment of school fees or taxes, the purchase of educational materials, books, or computers or other school related items.
• Vocational training: payment of enrolment fees, books, materials, and transportation allowances.
• Start-up of business activities: Payment for rent of premises, business registration fees, commerce licenses, and purchase of equipment and goods.
• Other reintegration support that was available in exceptional cases included: medical support and psycho-social assistance: payment for medical treatment and prescriptions, as well as psychological counselling to address any pre or post arrival trauma the minor had experienced.

So far, the IOM Kosovo has registered and carried out more than 1,300 cases of Family Tracing and Assessment since 2008

Last week AVRR counselor has been in Doblibare-Gjakove where interview with the family of Alban Marki was conducted, the minor is currently staying at a reception structure in Calabria. The child has requested to be reunited to his family in Gjakova and they are delighted to welcome their child back home. IOM and counterparts in Italy are preparing the movement and, in the meantime, IOM Kosovo in cooperation with the minor’s family and local stakeholders is drafting reintegration plan which will be offered to the minor after his return home.