What we don’t see

Some of the most serious injustices are found in what remains unseen: what is deliberately kept out of sight. 

During a recent visit to Croatia and the border town of Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I met with partner organisations, refugees, and local authorities. What left the deepest impression on me was the visible invisibility. Reception and detention centres are intentionally located away from public spaces. Independent oversight is minimal. As one NGO representative put it: ‘The strategy is to remove people from public life. I call it strategic isolation.’ 

And indeed, I began to see it everywhere: a system built to keep people out of sight. Closed doors. Decisions made without transparency. People are held in limbo, caught between countries and legal frameworks. 

Croatia’s asylum system appears designed more to deter than to offer protection. In recent years, fewer than 1,100 people have been granted asylum. Meanwhile, reports of violence at the borders continue. Monitoring remains largely symbolic, as the existing mechanism lacks real authority or effectiveness. At the same time, NGOs are facing increasing challenges: inadequate funding, restricted access to facilities, and growing pressure from government actors. 

Yet amid these harsh realities, I also saw signs of hope. It lives in those who continue to protect human dignity and work for a better future: NGOs, local officials, ombudspeople, and refugees themselves. Tired but resolute, one colleague in Bihać told me: ‘Despite everything, we love our work. Being able to help someone, to protect a child; that gives us strength.’ 

The legacy of the Balkan wars is still present. Another NGO staff member said: ‘I lived through the war in the 1990s. I know what these children need: a safe place to sleep, a proper meal. Treating people with dignity is part of the peace we must continue to build.’ 

This also made me reflect on the Netherlands. Even here, the reception system is becoming increasingly fragile. Civil society organisations are under growing strain. 

What we do not see is exactly what demands our attention. That is why we continue our efforts for a different path. One that is more humane, more just, and more transparent.