Shelter in Sarajevo

IOM—Shelter in Sarajevo
Among the very first projects supported by the Shelter Foundation in 2001 were two safe houses in Sarajevo operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Women who had been forced into prostitution but later were able to flee from their procurers or who had been freed in the course of a police raid, found in these houses a safe haven. The often seriously traumatized women were provided with medical and psychological care and also legal counseling. Moreover, the opportunity to take part in language courses, computer classes and other educational programs opened new perspectives for them.

The IOM staff helped these women to return to their homeland if they so desired—assuming that such was at all possible. Even though increasing numbers of women found themselves in need of protection and care in a shelter, the two safe houses in Sarajevo were threatened with closure after the US government discontinued its financial contributions in June 2001. The Shelter Foundation stepped in to contribute to the running costs of the IOM shelters, thus enabling them to continue operating.