engleski

Care of Children and Youth in the Cities under Siege: Comparison of Dubrovnik and Vinkovci

Although at the first sight different, primarily because of different geographic positions within the country, deep in the continent and at the seacoast, Dubrovnik and Vinkovci share a similar geographical uniqueness: both towns are most distant from the country capital urban centres in butterfly shape territory of Croatia. Their positions next to borders with aggressor in homeland war (Serbia and Montenegro) resulted with heavy military offensives and then with the siege that practically lasted till the end of the war. Some texts have been published about how the life of civilian population functioned during these long years of constant exposure to artillery and aviation attacks, but rarely with a focus on one segment of population. This study focuses on care of children and youth, similarities and differences in it, illustrating two distinct model variations of care which was exclusively result of local administrative decision making officials. It was this unique model of child care that was in 1993 recognized by UNICEF as a specific effective practice that subsequently resulted in building up a network of professionals from eight frontline cities in Croatia, where each town was a focal point for specific programs of child care: education in shelters, mine awareness and protection, psycho-social rehabilitation of traumatized children etc. This child care version in war circumstances was evaluated by UNICEF central administration as an efficient model particularly because it was completely adaptable to local conditions. The study is based on qualitative research (document analysis, semi structured interviews and participants’ observations) as the three authors were also participants of these processes, being the decision-making members of local administration in both cities and in UNICEF. The uniqueness and the adaptability of the model make it a worth source of consideration of efficient ways of childcare in war circumstances in cities under siege in Europe and beyond.

childcare, Vinkovci. Dubrovnik, UNICEF, homeland war

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