For the fourth year, the National Democratic Institution (NDI) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized Week of Women. Topics discussed this year included the importance of the rule of law and the role of the law in women’s political and social life.
Women from politics, activists from civil society, media representatives and representatives from public institutions and universities participated.
During the five-day event several topics were discussed: property rights and inheritance; women’s access to property rights; the legal framework and challenges with implementing laws; the role of women in fighting corruption; women in the security sector; and the rehabilitation of survivors of sexual violence perpetrated during the war.
On the last day, panellists on the topic of rehabilitation for survivors of sexual violence informed participants that the President’s National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence during the War has continued its mandate for another year. Further, more progress was made during the prior year than in the last 15 years on this sensitive issue. Panellists discussed steps taken to ensure the implementation of the law on psycho-social rehabilitation, health and economic empowerment, access to justice and to raise awareness among citizens regarding the rights of survivors of sexual violence perpetrated during the war.
“Unfortunately the exact number of people who suffered sexual violence during the war is unknown, but we think that it is around 20,000,” said Feride Rushiti, Executive Director of the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT). She informed participants that this Centre continues to offer help for people who suffered sexual violence during the war, regardless of the age, sex or ethnicity.
“Now we have the support of the law that we requested, and we have an obligation to organize awareness raising campaigns to inform survivors of sexual violence that legal mechanisms exists and they can access them,” said Igballe Rogova, KWN Executive Director and a member of the National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence during the War. “We have the law’s protection. Now we need justice,” she said.
The Week of Women ended with a ceremony during which the 1,000 participants received certificates.