Learn how ISS Bosnia and Herzegovina, Association “Vasa prava BiH” – Legal Aid Network, stands up for the right to Access to Justice for Unaccompanied Minors seeking for asylum.
When 14-year-old Aidan arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina after months on the move from Afghanistan, he carried no documents, only a small piece of paper with his mother’s phone number and a promise that someone would help him continue his journey. Instead, Aidan found himself alone and frightened in a temporary reception center.
At first, he did not know that he had the right to ask for asylum or that someone could represent him. It was during one of Vaša Prava BiH’s field visits, part of regular outreach to unaccompanied minors, that a legal counsellor met Aidan. He explained to him in simple language, that he had rights: to protection, to education, and to express his own views. A cultural mediator translated, and a social worker soon helped appoint a legal guardian.
Together with his guardian and a Vaša Prava BiH lawyer, Aidan went through the asylum process. His story was heard carefully, this time in a child-friendly interview room. The legal team ensured that his best interests were respected, and psychological support was provided by a partner organization.
Recognizing the risks faced by unaccompanied minors, especially exposure to traffickers and smugglers, Vaša Prava BiH collaborated with organisations from the region and several EU-based partners to trace Aidan’s parents and verify his family links. Through this joint effort, they confirmed that Aidan’s parents were alive and seeking contact. The coordinated approach also ensured his full legal protection, preventing potential exploitation and helping authorities establish his identity and nationality safely.
A few months later, Aidan received subsidiary protection, allowing him to enrol in school and attend language classes. He now lives in a safe environment, learning Bosnian and English, and dreams of becoming a translator himself, to help other children understand what he once couldn’t.
