Sarajevo Winter Needs Assessment 2026: Voices from the Edge of Europe’s Border Crisis

Our winter needs assessment

At Collective Aid, we’ve supported people on the move in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2018, distributing clothes, bedding, and hygiene kits five days a week outside centres like Blažuj and Ušivak TRCs. This winter, we asked residents directly: What are your rights denied, and where do systems fail you? 

Over 40 people answered through multilingual surveys, exposing violations of dignity, health, and safety. You can read the full report here and access all the data here.

Methodology

A structured questionnaire was used to assess the immediate material needs, service gaps, and advocacy priorities of displaced individuals in Sarajevo. It focused on essential items (e.g. food, clothing, hygiene), access to services (e.g. legal, medical, translation), and experiences of rights violations.

Data was collected near Blažuj and Ušivak TRCs, where Collective Aid operates and has established trust with service users. This approach focused on individuals residing in TRCs, excluding those in private or informal accommodation.

Participation was voluntary, based on informed consent, and limited to individuals aged 16+. Volunteers were trained to conduct the assessment ethically and remained available to clarify questions.

The questionnaire combined qualitative and quantitative methods and was available in nine languages. Initially conducted in person using paper surveys, the process was later adapted to include take-away and online responses (via KoboToolBox) to improve accessibility and completion rates.

Unclear responses were excluded during analysis. Overall, the methodology was straightforward and effective, providing a clear overview of needs and enabling more targeted service delivery and advocacy.

Key Findings and Analysis

Material Needs

Access to Material Items

Overall, 66.67% of respondents described their stay in the TRCs positively, describing them as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. However, when delving into specific factors, the findings reveal notable gaps in basic service provisions which should be considered inadequate. Firstly, there was a significant lack in material support from the camps, in particular regard to bedding, clothing, and hygiene items. Over 70% of people said they did not have access to sufficient bedding such as blankets, with one respondent saying they needed sheets and pillows because “they didn’t give us anything”, and another saying they were left with only “two blankets and two sheets for a family of four.” Secondly, an overwhelming majority (86%) also said they did not have access to enough appropriate clothing, with more than half stating that they are in need of shoes and jackets. Finally, access to hygiene items such as soap, shampoo, or wet-wipes was also inconsistent. The majority reported not having enough access overall.

Shoes, clothing, and phones were the items people reported needing most to improve their current living conditions.

Hygiene and Sanitation

There were notable deficiencies in relation to the health and sanitation of the camp, which may negatively affect health, dignity, and overall wellbeing. A majority of respondents said they did not have access to adequate hygiene and sanitation facilities (such as access to clean showers and drinking water), with 10 people noting a specific lack of clean/drinking water, and 17 respondents saying they have no access to showers or bathrooms. The presence of pests and lack of cleanliness was also a common complaint.

Food

A notable number of respondents stated they did not have access to sufficient amounts of food or adequate nutrition due to the TRCs not providing enough food (30%), with one respondent explaining that their “weight has dropped to 62 kilos because of the famine we're experiencing in the camp”. On top of that, almost a third of respondents said they cannot afford to purchase their own food outside the centres. 3 people also noted that the camps do not tailor to their allergies or other medical conditions (such as diabetes). As a result, over half of the respondents requested other types of nutritional support, such as food distributions or food vouchers.

Services and Unmet Needs

Healthcare

A lack of adequate medical care was highlighted as one of the biggest concerns of TRC residents. While most respondents reported being able to access medical care when sick, the quality and adequacy of this care remain a concern. Nearly half indicated that medical care is available but not sufficient, while only one third considered it sufficient. 5 people reported that they were denied care entirely.

One resident of Usivak TRC went into detail about the lack of medical support they have received since their HIV diagnosis; “My husband and I have also been diagnosed with HIV. My husband has been here much longer. He was initially at the Blazuj camp, where he was tested and only received treatment after 6 weeks. They only gave him one jar for one month! I also got tested back in early November, but I still haven't received the treatment. I think this is unacceptable. I have been without vital medication for over a month. Because of this, my condition is worsening; I feel very unwell.”

Legal Support

Access to legal aid appears limited and inconsistent, despite being reported as the most important service to PoM across the board. Among respondents, similar proportions reported having access to legal assistance to those who said they did not, indicating a divided situation with no clear majority benefiting from legal support.

Regarding the physical presence of legal actors in the camp, half of respondents reported that there are no lawyers present on site. This suggests that even where legal aid may be theoretically available, their presence, or at least knowledge of their presence or their visibility, is limited (11.67% of people said they did not know how to apply for asylum). This creates clear barriers for residents requiring support with asylum claims or other legal matters.

Other Services

While a range of services are theoretically available in the TRCs, there was a clear inconsistency in whether people were aware of them, and whether they were actually provided consistently; 15% of people stated that they ‘did not know what services are available’.

10 people noted that there was mental health support or counseling available, but one respondent noted that there was none available; most people (55%) said they had access to a translator when accessing basic services, but 31.67% did not (one respondent said they had to use Google translate, and another said there were no translators available for Pashto); 28% of respondents said there was a dentist, but one respondent with a dental problem said there was no one to help with this. The defining issue therefore seems to be one of inadequate signposting (over 43% cited a ‘lack of information’), as well as an inadequate and inconsistent delivery. The former could be easily solved, as one respondent wrote: “We would appreciate it if all the services were explained on the signs in a language as this would be preferable.”

Fears of authorities were also highlighted by a number of people as a reason why they cannot access the necessary services. One person specified, saying, “There is a fear that the authorities will take our money.” More on this is evident in the following section.

Human Rights and Advocacy

Border Violence and Abuse in Camps and Detention

There is a clear indication that violence and mistreatment of people on the move is a significant issue facing many people on the move crossing the Western Balkans, both on borders and in state-run accommodation. A striking majority said they had experienced some form of violence, with 60% specifying physical abuse, many reporting theft, and 12 people citing pushbacks. While incidents occurred across multiple borders, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, and Croatia were repeatedly highlighted, illustrating patterns of abusive practices at key transit points. With such a high consistency, it is easy to infer that these practices are systemic, rather than isolated incidents.

People responded with more qualitative answers to this section of the report. Some of the answers were as follows: “At several points on the borders of Bulgaria and Greece, they took our mobile phones and cash like thieves after beating and threatening us. They deported us. Similarly, in Serbia and North Macedonia they also beat and deported us.”; “They pushed me forcefully, stole my phone and bag of clothes, and left me with nothing, even though I am a Palestinian citizen and have Palestinian identification. They didn't care.”; “The Serbian government hits anyone at the border”; “Bulgaria and Serbia — brutal beating.”; “The Bulgarian police were not humane at all.”

Violence at borders was identified by respondents as the most important information to understand about their experience - one that should remain a focus of meaningful advocacy efforts.

Camp Abuse and Detention

Violence and mistreatment also reportedly extended into state-run camps across the Balkans. 65% of respondents reported experiencing some form of abuse while in camps, most commonly physical abuse, verbal abuse or forced detention, highlighting alarming protection concerns.

Over half of respondents said they had been held in a closed detention facility at some point in their journey, with 12 specifying that this occurred in Bulgaria. Croatia, Serbia, Greece, and Turkey were also mentioned. Of those who experienced such violence, 23 said they experienced physical abuse in detention, and 20 said they experienced verbal abuse. Respondents also reported additional deprivations, such as being left without food or adequate care, highlighting intersecting gaps in protection, basic needs, and oversight.

The prevalence of these abuses calls for immediate action from national authorities, international organizations, and humanitarian actors to increase accountability and improve or implement effective protective mechanisms.

Recourse in Reporting Mechanisms and Advocacy

Despite the prevalence of abuse, access to effective reporting mechanisms are relatively limited. Only 18 people had managed to report any violence at all, with 8 informing the police, 5 telling international organisations (such as the UNHCR or IOM), and a few reporting it to camp authorities. With abuse on borders, camps, and in detention facilities, the aforementioned fear and mis-trust of authorities is an inevitable consequence, leaving people with a feeling of lack of recourse for official reporting. Almost half of respondents did not believe that existing reporting mechanisms are effective, because authorities do not take complaints seriously, they don’t trust the system, or because the process is too slow. The lack of effective signposting to services is equally at fault; some people reported that they do not know how to report, nor do they know of any accessible services where to do so. One person wrote, ‘I feel that people are indifferent’.

The absence of functional complaint systems exacerbates vulnerability and perpetuates cycles of abuse.

Respondents highlighted the need for legal attention and accountability, international advocacy, and media attention, signaling the need for structural change, rather than individual-level interventions.