Mareena – A Concerted Approach to Refugee and Migrant Inclusion in Slovakia

Mareena is launching Slovakia’s first platform for organisations working on protection and inclusion of refugees and migrants. The network will bring together seven CSOs that focus legal and social counselling, Slovak language education, building communities, jobs and labour market integration, information support, material assistance, and other essential services across the country. Having played a major role in the Ukraine response efforts starting in the spring of 2022, these organisations are coming together to tackle the following urgent needs:  

• Streamlined coordination and exchange of good practices between organisations aiding refugees and migrants 

• Strategic partnerships with the public sector, municipalities, private companies and other NGOs in creating an inclusive society 

• Effective advocacy to improve migration policies at local and national levels 

• Better monitoring of quality and availability of services available to migrants 

The founding partners include Centre for Research of Ethnicity and Culture, Human Rights League Slovakia, Milan Šimečka Foundation, Caritas, Slovak Humanitarian Council, and People in Need Slovakia. The group has been meeting informally for the past few years and with EPIM’s support are taking the next step to create a common platform, bringing greater negotiating power, advocacy capacity, and legitimacy. The focus is now on securing resources and expertise for cross-sectoral cooperation and communication. EPIM’s support will allow for sustainable growth in this sector and foster connections with the public and private sectors across Slovakia with a focus on trust building and safe dialogue and inter-sectoral alliances. 

Image credit: Mareena