During 19-23 March, Women’s Week was organized for the eighth time. The annual event is organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Women’s Week gathers more than 100 women and men coming from various ethnic backgrounds, political parties, civil society, businesses and media, in order to raise the awareness of attendees of the necessity for an accountable and responsible governance in Kosovo.
The second part of second day was allocated for a panel meeting on “Impunity culture: Looking forward with the survivors of sexual violence during war”, which aimed at discussing on whether or not Kosovar society is responding adequately to the constant worries of the victims of sexual violence during war.
In the main speech, Doris Pack, Women’s President in EEP (European People’s Party), former deputy of the European Parliament, spoke high of this critically important initiative as part of the Kosovo’s journey towards the EU integration and necessity for establishing an egalitarian society in Kosovo.
Other matters were also raised by the participants in the panel meeting: Igballe Rogova, Executive Director of the Kosovo Women’s Network; Flora Macula, Head of UN Women in Kosovo; Minire Begaj, Chair of the Government Committee on Victims of Secual Violence; Ruairi O’Connell, UK Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo; and Kıvılcım Kılıç, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Republic of Kosovo.
“Women’s organizations were the ones that raised their voice for the survivors of sexual violence during war in Kosovo. It was the women’s organizations that advocate for their voice to be heard. It was the women’s organizations that provided psycho-social training and help in empowering them economically”, Ms. Rogova said. In addition, she emphasized that our society should apologize for stigmatizing and failing to integrate these women in the society. Among others, Ms. Rogova added that these women’s status was recognized, but justice must be done, and these survivors must receive the treatment they deserve.
Apart from the speeches made by the participants of the panel meeting, the attendees were given the opportunity to discuss on the stigmatization of the survivors of sexual violence during the war, making an attempt to highlight the role that the society may play to promote the survivors’ inclusion in the social and political life in Kosovo.
Women’s Week gathers more than 100 women and men coming from various ethnic backgrounds, political parties, civil society, businesses and media, in order to raise the awareness of attendees of the necessity for an accountable and responsible governance in Kosovo.
The second part of second day was allocated for a panel meeting on “Impunity culture: Looking forward with the survivors of sexual violence during war”, which aimed at discussing on whether or not Kosovar society is responding adequately to the constant worries of the victims of sexual violence during war.
In the main speech, Doris Pack, Women’s President in EEP (European People’s Party), former deputy of the European Parliament, spoke high of this critically important initiative as part of the Kosovo’s journey towards the EU integration and necessity for establishing an egalitarian society in Kosovo.
Other matters were also raised by the participants in the panel meeting: Igballe Rogova, Executive Director of the Kosovo Women’s Network; Flora Macula, Head of UN Women in Kosovo; Minire Begaj, Chair of the Government Committee on Victims of Secual Violence; Ruairi O’Connell, UK Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo; and Kıvılcım Kılıç, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Republic of Kosovo.
“Women’s organizations were the ones that raised their voice for the survivors of sexual violence during war in Kosovo. It was the women’s organizations that advocate for their voice to be heard. It was the women’s organizations that provided psycho-social training and help in empowering them economically”, Ms. Rogova said. In addition, she emphasized that our society should apologize for stigmatizing and failing to integrate these women in the society. Among others, Ms. Rogova added that these women’s status was recognized, but justice must be done, and these survivors must receive the treatment they deserve.
Apart from the speeches made by the participants of the panel meeting, the attendees were given the opportunity to discuss on the stigmatization of the survivors of sexual violence during the war, making an attempt to highlight the role that the society may play to promote the survivors’ inclusion in the social and political life in Kosovo.
