With support from the Legal Office at the Prime Minister’s office and UN Women, the National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence during the war, under the leadership of Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo, organized a two day workshop in Tirana. This workshop, which was held on 15-18 January 2015, gathered a delegation from Bosnia and Hercegovina, members of the National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence during the war in Kosovo, and other participants.
The objective of the workshop was to exchange experiences between Bosnia and Hercegovina and Kosovo regarding sexual violence during the war. Participants exchanged experiences on rehabilitation, reintegration, and empowerment of survivors. One of the main issues of discussion during the exchange, was the recognition of the statute of survivors in Bosnia and Hercegovina.
Igballe Rogova, KWN Executive Director, is a member of the National Council for Survivors of Sexual Violence during the war in Kosovo. With support from UN Women, OHCHR and the Legal Office at the Prime Minister’s office, the Council has begun drafting different articles of utmost importance for the implementation of the law on recognizing the statute of martyrs invalids, veterans, KLA members, persons raped during the war, civil victims of the war and their family was approved in March 20 2014.
This law recognizes the status of women raped during the war in 1998-1999 in Kosovo, in an attempt to prevent social stigmatization and to restore their dignity. The approval of this law is the result of a two year long advocacy process by women, civil society, and political institutions.
Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and its member assisted throughout this process. KWN attracted attention towards the situation of women who have suffered sexual violence during the war through its protest organized on March 9 2012, with the slogan: “We don’t want flowers, we want justice for women raped during the war,”