Communication and community awareness raising activities are highly useful tools used while providing assistance to vulnerable migrants. Information sessions were organized on 28-30 August 2019 in Gjirokastra Region, communities near Kakavija Border Crossing Point, Dropull, Gerhoti Temporary Reception Center and BCPs and on 2-4 September 2019 in Korca Region, communities near Kapshtica and in the BCPs. Effectively communicating information about migrant vulnerabilities, basic rights and available assistance services and the potential role of the local community in migrant reception and assistance centres were the main topics of discussions held by a team of experts including experts from Department of Border and Migration Police, Migration and Anti Trafficking Directorate, Asylum Directorate in the Ministry of Interior and IOM. The team focused on improving communication with the local population aiming to raise awareness about:

• migrants’ rights,
• smuggling of migrants (SOM) risks,
• gender sensitive needs and
• assistance.

The activities were organized in framework of the project “Combating Smuggling of Migrants along the Western Balkan Coastal Route" implemented with the support of Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs covering Bosnia Hercegovina, Montenegro and Albania.