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“Local Aspects of Humanitarian Response to Transit Migrants and Refugees in Croatia,” Research Paper, 2016

Abstract

Team members at I2UD contributed to the report “Humanitarian Responses by Local Actors: Lessons Learned from Managing the Transit of Migrants and Refugees Through Croatia.” This research examines Croatia’s response to the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis, where 650,000 migrants and refugees transited the country over seven months. The Croatian government coordinated a complex, multi-stakeholder effort, with local authorities providing crucial infrastructure and services. A centrally managed transit reception center and deterritorialised response allowed for swift movement across the country, though rapid transit limited the ability to fully meet migrants’ needs, requiring adjustments by humanitarian actors.

The Croatian experience highlights strong institutional capacity for managing large-scale crises and the vital role of local infrastructure and civil society. It raises important questions about local authorities’ roles in national crisis response frameworks and the balance between security logistics and rights-based humanitarian aid. As Croatia shifts to refugee integration, clearer coordination and more inclusive governance will be needed for future crises. Documents include the main working paper from August 2016 as well as a presentation on the research.

Project Year:2016
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Croatia
Reports:
Authors:Maren Larsen; Elma Demir; Maja Horvat; Mona Serageldin; John Driscoll; Tea Vidovic; Julija Kranjec; Barbara Summers
Sponsors:International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Categories:Reconciliation and Development
  
ID:2016_01_001

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I2UD Digital Library Study Guide: The Role of Urban Planning and Management in Post-Crisis Reconciliation and Recovery, October 2025

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“Social Sustainability and Citizen Engagement (SSCE),” Local Project Management for Phase 2 of the World Bank-Austria Urban Partnership Program (UPP) in Southeastern Europe, 2015

Abstract

In 2015, I2UD contributed to Phase 2 of the “Social Sustainability and Citizen Engagement” (SSCE) project. The project built off of the successful approach of the Social Sustainability Audit (SSA) implemented in Phase 1 of the World Bank-Austria Urban Partnership Program (UPP).

Local City Teams worked in Elbasan, Albania; Gjilan, Kosovo; Kumanovo, North Macedonia; Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Karlovac, Croatia; Kolašin and Ulcinj, Montenegro; and Pančevo and Šabac, Serbia, along with researchers from I2UD and the Co-PLAN Institute for Habitat Development, based in Tirana, Albania.

I2UD staff worked closely with Co-PLAN to manage the project and Local City Team partners to undertake the municipal assessments, including developing project methodologies in a participatory way, supporting Local City Teams in undertaking the local research and discussions, analyzing project outputs, and documenting best practices in increasing social accountability. Teams undertook research on the current status of participation, transparency, and feedback in municipal services and governance in each region. Teams held focus group discussions, interviews, participatory scenario development workshops and drafted City Action Plans to implement a catalyst project to enhance social sustainability and increase citizen engagement.

The project sought to increase knowledge and awareness of social accountability among local stakeholders including civil society, government officials, and marginalized urban residents; and to strengthen integrity in public service delivery by increasing the demand for good governance, social accountability, and civic participation in a regional perspective in each city.


[Excerpt: Technical Proposal]

“Phase 1 of this project resulted in detailed, analytical reports of each of the nine cities covering demographic, social, physical, economic, cultural, institutional and political issues….the city teams also identified vulnerable groups to be the focus of the second phase of the assessment. This selection was made on the basis of official information obtained from institutions responsible for the provision of various public services at a local level, findings from research studies made by international and national organizations, as well as other relevant documents (laws, provisions, local development strategies, etc.) and representatives from marginalized and vulnerable communities and NGOS consulted during the inception phase.”

Project Year:2015-2017
Project Type:Technical Assistance
Geographic Regions:Southeast Europe
Reports:
Authors:I2UD: Maren Larsen; Bruce Purdy; Carolina Morgan; John Driscoll; Hans Freidl; François Vigier;
Co-PLAN: Dritan Shutina; Aida Ciro; Elvan Dajko; Ingrid Xhafa;
AIP (Gjilan): Florina Jerliu; Mrinë Godanca;
GONG (Croatia): Maja Horvat; Nives Miošić;
CSD (Kumanovo): Sonja Damchevska;
NALED (Pančevo and Šabac): Ivana Cikik; Maja Todorovic;
ATD (Tuzla): Elma Demir;
MANS (Montenegro): Alexander Maskovic; Vuk Maras
Sponsors:World Bank
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:2015_09_001

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