Webinar & Dead and Missing Report: Serbia - We Refuse to Forget
We are sharing the recording of our recent webinar on the “Dead and Missing: Serbia Report,” a conversation that brought together researchers and activists committed to documenting and challenging the systemic neglect surrounding the deaths of people on the move in Serbia. The webinar was held in collaboration with Klikaktiv and NNK.
Watch the Webinar: Recording Link
Summary: Erased in Life and Death - Knowledge-Mapping Report
Our report, Erased in Life and Death: Intersecting Injustices Faced by People on the Move in Serbia, examines the structural violence, institutional silence, and gaps in procedural justice surrounding deaths and disapperances in Serbia. This knowledge-mapping report builds on the work of civil society organizations, cemetery workers, faith communities, journalists, researchers, and families who have long documented and commemorated those who have died.
Key Findings:
Border deaths in Serbia are underreported, and many remain undocumented.
People on the move continue to die due to the violent and hazardous conditions created by border regimes.
Burial sites exist across Serbia, often concentrated near EU-bound migration routes, yet there is no publicly accessible database of these graves.
Official procedures for identification, burial, and documentation are inconsistent, often leading to misidentification and undignified burials.
Grassroots actors, NGOs, and local communities play a crucial role in filling gaps left by state and intergovernmental authorities.
Mapping Deaths and Burial Sites:
The report presents a first-of-its-kind map of named and unnamed burial sites across Serbia, documenting deterioration and accessibility while maintaining the privacy of the deceased. The data underscores the urgent need for visibility, memorialization, and structural accountability.
Case Studies & Local Insights:
We detail conditions and procedures across multiple municipalities, including Belgrade, Subotica, Sid, Sjenica, Tutin, and the Drina River border area, highlighting both systemic failures and examples of grassroots-led dignified burials.
The Role of Intergovernmental Organisations:
While IOM, UNHCR, Caritas, and ICRC engage in migration management, their involvement in documenting and responding to deaths in Serbia has been limited, leaving gaps that are often addressed only by activists, NGOs, and local communities.
Digital Spaces of Remembrance:
Projects like the 4D Database, ERIM research, and Border Memory provide online archives that document deaths, preserve memory, and support collective mourning and advocacy. These platforms act as critical tools of grief activism, connecting communities and resisting erasure.
Resources: