Kosovo Women's Network

Members and staff of KWN participate in the knowledge exchange program on Gender Based Violence

02.06.2017

From 1 to 5 May, 2017, three representatives from Kosovo participated in the Knowledge Exchange Program on Gender Based Violence, held in Stockholm, Sweden, and organized by the Kvinna Till Kvinna Foundation. Adelina Berisha from the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Shpresa Agushi from the Network of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Women’s Organizations of Kosovo, and Zana Hoxha Krasniqi from Artpolis, represented Kosovo in this event, wherein they had the opportunity to share their experience with other participants.
       The purpose of these meetings was that the beneficiaries of the Kvinna Till Kvinna Foundation from the Balkans and the Middle East share their experiences and best practices in combating Gender-Based Violence. The program was divided into three main pillars, namely: Providing Psycho-Social Assistance to Survivors of Gender-Based Violence; Cooperation with a Comprehensive Approach to Assistance to Gender-Based Survivors; As well as Advocacy as a Form of Prevention.
       Apart from the sharing of experience among participants, there were alsoheld by professors, psychologists, activists, and experts of gender-based violence from Sweden and other countries of the world. Among them, Dr. Allan Wade, who spoke of the resistance that survivors of violence use as a mechanism to cope with violence; Vidar Vetterfalk, who spoke on masculinity norms and violence as a necessary perspective to combat gender-based violence; As well as lectures by the psychologist Josefin Grände, who spoke about Secondary Trauma that people who work in providing psycho-social treatment to survivors of gender-based violence may have.
      Adelina Berisha from the KWN invited by Kvinna Till Kvinna, presented the KWN advocacy initiatives in the area of ”‹”‹gender-based violence, while Zana Hoxha Krasniqi from Artpolis held a workshop on how to use the Forum Theatre as a form of raising awareness about Gender-based violence.
In addition to exchanging experiences and knowledge on gender-based violence, an important part of this program was networking between non-governmental organizations from the region and the Middle East.

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“Liria” and “Legjenda” advocate for involvement of GRB

02.06.2017

Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) represents the inclusion of a gender perspective in budget planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. GRB helps government budgets and their execution to be more equitable, effective and transparent. The new Law on Gender Equality (2015) has made BPG a legal obligation for all central and local budget organizations in Kosovo. Further, Budget Circular no. 2017/01, distributed by the Ministry of Finance in June 2017, specifically encouraged all municipalities to integrate GRB into their budget documents.
           However, GRB is a fairly new concept, both in Kosovo and elsewhere. At the beginning of 2016, there were few budget organizations in Kosovo that began implementing this legal obligation, including the municipalities of Vitia and Gjilan. For this reason, KWN member organizations, the Centre for Protection and Rehabilitation of Women and Children “Liria” in Gjilan and “Legjenda” of Viti, decided to establish a joint team in order to advance the process of institutionalization of GRB in their municipalities.
       Supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (FGK), “Liria” and “Legjenda” organized informative meetings with the Formal Group of Women Assembly Members of Ferizaj and Kllokot Municipality, the Lobby for Gender Equality as well as Directors of Municipal Directorates of both Municipalities. 75 women and men of both municipalities were the beneficiaries of these informative meetings.
        Topics in these informative meetings were mainly related to integration steps such as decision-making, gender agenda and reports, research and analysis to be undertaken at the municipal level, as well as gender expertise.
         Women’s rights activist and activist Nazlie Bala emphasized to the participants that “gender equality means that men and women have equal access to the policies the state offers, have equal access to the well-being and overall development of society and equal access to the material goods that the state provides”.
        The result of this cooperation was raising the awareness of officials and activists in these two municipalities regarding GRB, what this concept means and how should it be applied in their municipalities. Women in decision-making became aware of gender budgeting and were encouraged to be part of budget policy drafting.
         This presents another important step towards advancing gender equality. These actions are foreseen in the Law on Gender Equality although up to date few institutions have used them. The cooperation of these two organizations and their advocacy towards the sustainable institutionalization of the GRB in the municipalities of Ferizaj and Kllokot is a very positive example from which other municipalities and central level institutions can learn.

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KWN advocates for easier movement of citizens on the street

02.06.2017

On 25 May, 2017, KWN participated in the first workshop organized by the Municipality of Prishtina “Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for Prishtina”.
      During the discussion on the problems of citizens, KWN asked for steps to be taken regarding the key issues faced by women, such as: to free the sidewalks from the cars in order to have enough space for the movement of women / mothers with children carriages, to make necessary adjustments ofroads in order to meet the needs of people with limited abilities, including installation/placement of street signals for blind persons.
     In this process of drafting this Plan for carrying out adjustments to the road for the needs of the citizens, this workshop was attended by women and men, representatives of urban traffic companies, professors of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Prishtina, representatives of various profile organizations, people with disabilities and representative of the Kosovo Women’s Network.
     To assist in gathering information on drafting the Plan, please complete the following online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Pristina Travel

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The Women’s Initiative encourages women to get involved in decision-making process in the Municipality of Dragash

02.06.2017

On 19 May, in Village Rrenc of the Dragash Municipality, a member organization of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), the Women’s InitiativeAssociation organized an information roundtable on women’s empowerment in politics and decision-making.
      The aim of this project is to build gender capacities in order to encourage women to participate more actively in social and political life, support and support of women in political parties, their engagement and empowerment within the party, support to each other in advancing internal, vocational training and their delegation to certain decision-making positions.
     To draft this project, the Women’s Initiative Association was based on low economic development as one of the factors that directly affects the gender perspective and as a consequence the active participation of women in civil society and politics is low. Also, the Association was based on the most conservative mentality of the Municipality of Dragash, which according to them produces many other difficulties for the position of women, which probably other municipalities have already overcome.
     The Municipal Officer for Gender Equality, Ms. Lendita Kosmaçi Pira spoke about the importance of women’s active participation in politics, pointing out that the quota of 30%of womenrepresentation at the municipal assembly is very low. She also expressed dissatisfaction that there is no representation of women in decision-making positions in the Municipality of Dragash, considering that there are over ten leadership positions in different directorates in this municipality.
        Whilst, theWomen’s Initiative Association believes that the results of this project will have a positive impact on women’s awareness of their legal rights related to gender-based violence, awareness of their property and inheritance rights and their engagement for the first time in political parties. Ms. Xhejrane Lokaj, director of the Association, also announced 15 open positions at the tailoring workshop in Shalme, by encouraging women to previously enrol at the employment office. This outcome is a result of successful advocacy for the economic empowerment of women in this region.
     Over 150 women direct beneficiaries expressed satisfaction that they were part of this project. They emphasized that for the first time they were conducting such trainings that are influencing on them to freely discuss with the family and the circle about the rights of women and girls to property and inheritance, the consequences of gender-based violence and how they will empower their demands for decision-making positions for women. Also,around 20000 citizens, respectively residents of the Municipality of Dragash have benefited from this project in indirect manner.
     This roundtable was organized as an activity within the project "Time for a new political spirit", supported by KWN and funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo, and implemented by the Women’s Initiative Association in Dragash.

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KWN Advocates for Improved Response to Gender-based Violence

19.05.2017

     During May, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) met with several institutions to discuss gender-based violence in Kosovo, namely domestic violence and sexual harassment. These advocacy meetings, planned in 2015, sought to follow-up on recommendations made to individual institutions in KWN’s two research reports: No More Excuses: An Analysis of Attitudes, Incidence and Institutional Responses to Domestic Violence in Kosovo (2015) and Sexual Harassment in Kosovo (2016). However, the meetings also were timely and pertinent considering recent cases of domestic violence.
     More specifically, KWN has been closely following the case of Mrs. Zejnepe Bytyqi Berisha. Her husband stabbed her to death, also injuring their daughter; the Basic Court in Prizren convicted him, but with a sentence of only 12 years in prison. KWN, other activists and citizens expressed their disgust publicly in a demonstration held on 14 April 2017, during which they called for #JusticeForZejnepe (#DrejtësiPërZejnepen).
     KWN has continued to follow this case since, contracting a lawyer to support Mrs. Bytyqi Berisha’s family in filing an appeal. The appeal was filed on 17 May with the Basic Court in Prizren.
     Meanwhile, KWN has approached three responsible institutions to call for improved performance in investigating crimes and ensuring justice. This week, KWN met with Deputy State Prosecutor Sevdije Morina, Deputy General Director of Police Operations Naim Rexha, Captain Tahire Haxholli who leads the Domestic Violence Investigation Unit in the Kosovo Police, and Manager of the Victims Protection and Assistance Office Basri Kastrati. The main issues that KWN raised during these meetings included:

•    Inquiry into how institutions are dealing with the case of Mrs. Bytyqi Berisha, as well as how they are taking steps to improve overall performance in domestic violence cases;
•    The need to improve case management and coordination among institutions in assisting and ensuring justice in cases of domestic violence, which was identified as a key concern in KWN’s aforementioned research;
•    The need for additional training for prosecutors, police, and Victim Advocates, respectively, to improve their performance, including on: the definition of and what acts constitute sexual harassment; the legal requirement to ensure confidentiality in all cases; the importance of not blaming victims for crimes perpetrated against them; and that officials should not make decisions based on their personal opinions, such as encouraging family reconciliation, particularly when criminal acts have been committed that require ex officio prosecution.

     As a result of these meetings, all three institutions verbalized their commitment to addressing shortcomings and improving performance. Further, KWN was informed that the prosecution is working on appointing prosecutors who will be specialized in dealing with domestic violence cases. They will receive training from experts from the United States.
     All institutions committed to looking into opportunities for further training officials in the aforementioned topics. They expressed their readiness to continue cooperation with KWN and draw from KWN’s expertise on this topic, as relevant.
     KWN will continue monitoring institutions this year and encourages anyone with concerns about performance of institutions in gender-based violence cases to contact us at info@womensnetwork.org or 038245850.

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KWN Held its members bimonthly meeting

03.05.2017

On 3 April 2017, Kosovo Women’s Network hold its members bimonthly meeting, which gathered 74 representatives of KWN’s member organisations, members of Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality, donors, representatives from the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo and other supporters of KWN.

Igballe Rogova, Executive Director of KWN, shared the information that KWN has changed its location and address of the new office is: St. Feriz Blakçori, Floor II, No. 8. One of the reasons of changing the location is offering the possibility for easy access to people with special needs.

Further, Mrs. Rogova invited representatives of different institutions and projects that work on the field of women’s economic empowerment, to present their work and cooperation opportunities available for KWN member organizations.

Shqipe Dema, Head of the Department for Rural Development Policies within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD), spoke about the Program for Rural Development and Subventions, offering participants the possibility that for any question or clarification to contact: arbedona.spahiu@rks-gov.net; +377 (0)45 353 253; +381 (0)38 200 38 883, as well as to visit the web page of the Agency for Agricultural Development: http://www.azhb-ks.net/or in their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Agjencia-p%C3%ABr-Zhvillimin-e-Bujq%C3%ABsis%C3%AB-501164426723868/?fref=ts.

Further, Sherife Sekiraça, Equal Opportunities and Children’s Rights Officer, from MAFRD, spoke about the equal opportunities for women’s access on Ministry funds, emphasizing that in the beginning of 2010, only 4% of beneficiaries of these funds were women, while now there are 32%. Contact: sherife.sekiraqa@rks-gov.net.

Later, Mirlinda Kusari – Purrini, Executive Director of Women’s Business Association SHE-ERA, informed people present that SHE-ERA offers counseling, business planning, preparation of documents required to apply for different tenders, offers marketing strategy and market research, human resource development services and operational management services for local entrepreneurial women businesses. For further information, visit: http://she-era.org/?page_id=36, or contact: +381 (0)390 323 194 and wsheera@gmail.com.

Alida Muhaxhiri, Market Sector Facilitator on Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) Swisscontact, presented the work of PPSE on the tourism and food processing (for further details visit: http://ppse-kosovo.org/sq/). She also presented the platform Women’s Economic Empowerment – Bussiness Directory, which is an online platform developed specifically for listing all Kosovo businesses that are owned or co-owned by women. The Bussiness Directory also emphasizes the problems women in bussinness face and useful information on grants, tenders, employment opportunities etc. (for further details visit: http://www.weekosovo.biz/sq).

Vlora Elshani, Project Menager spoke about the opportunities offered through the project Integrated Territorial Development 2 (InTerDev 2). For further information, visit:

http://www.ks.undp.org/content/kosovo/en/home/operations/projects/poverty_reduction/Interdev.html and http://www.ks.undp.org/content/kosovo/en/home/library/poverty/interdev-2-snapshot–2017-2020-.html or contact: vlora.elshani@undp.org and +386 (0)49 171 528.

Luarza Muhadri, Menager of the Project Rural Economic Sustainability Initiative (RESI), spoke about this project that aims to contribute in a sustainable and inclusive rural economic development, as well as generating income and jobs in the municipalities of Prishtina, Novobbrdo, Kamenica and Ranillug. For further information visit: www.resi-ks.org or contact +381 (0) 38 222 435/243 546 and info@resi-ks.org.

Bernandina Krasniqi, representative of the Local Development Fund (LDF) said that LDF aims the promotion of the integrated and sustainable regional development in the Agriculture Sector by strengthening existing and potential local structures. For further information, visit: http://ldf-ks.org/sq/sq/rreth-ldf-se/historiku/ or contact: + 377 (0) 44 47 98 77.

Elena Lau, representative of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, shared information about two projects supported by GIZ: Competitiveness of the private sector in rural areas (COSiRA), and the project: Youth, Employment and Skills (YES). For further information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/CoSiRAKosovo/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE and

https://www.facebook.com/YESKosovo/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf.

Among others, Fatime Gërxhaliu from Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT) informed participants that on 29 of March, KRCT together with the Centre for Promotion of Women’s Rights (CPWR) in Drenas have opened a store, where through selling handicraft products they aim to generate income for women survivors of sexual violence from the last war in Kosovo, empowering them economically.

After the presentations, people present at the meeting, voted the selection of 3 new members of the Grant Review Commiittee (GRC) of the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF). All the names nominated by KWN members were listed on the ballots. The new members selected for the Grant Review Commiittee are: Sanije Grajçevci, Executive Director of NGO Aureola (14 votes) and Zana Hoxha Krasniqi, Executive Director of Artpolis (9 votes), and Valdete Idrizi, Director of CiviKos Platform (19 votes).

The next bimonthly meeting of KWN members will take place on Jun. 17. This activity was supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo.

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KWN Financed by UN Women Kosovo Supports Women Survivors of Sexual Violence

03.05.2017

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) started the implementation of the project “Supporting Women Survivors of Sexual Violence”, which is financed by the UN Women Kosovo.
The implementation of this project will be achieved through distribution of sub-grants to four women’s rights organizations specializing in working with women survivors of sexual violence totaling an amount of €167,062.97, which will then provide micro-grants to women survivors of CRSV towards their economic empowerment, coupled with psychosocial support; joint advocacy to represent the interests of survivors to government officials and citizens more broadly; and regular coordination of key actors working to support women survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV).
This project will contribute to the realization of KWN’s own mission to support, protect and promote the rights and interests of women and girls throughout Kosovo, regardless of their political beliefs, religion, age, level of education, sexual orientation, and ability. It will contribute to the realization of KWN’s strategic objectives in its Strategy 2015-2018.
Further, it will contribute to the implementation of the UN Women Transitional Justice Project, which has the overall outcome that “Government and Security Actors in Kosovo advance the Implementation of the adopted 1325 action plans and specific commitment to the survivors of sexual violence.”
On March 20, 2014 the Law On the Status and the Rights of the Martyrs, Invalids, Veterans, Members of Kosovo Liberation Army, Civilian Victims of War and their Families was amended and supplemented to recognize the status of survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). Currently, Kosovo authorities are in the process of operationalizing the independent Commission to implement the current legal framework to recognize survivors and provide limited benefits to them. While legal recognition is a significant benefit for survivors of CRSV, the material benefits provided under the current legal framework are still very limited.

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Women from Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina share their Experiences

03.05.2017

Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), represented by Gentiana Murati, Kosovo Women’s Fund Coordinator, participated in the study visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Eight organizations from Kosovo and eight Bosnian organizations, gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Kvinna till Kvinna to share the experiences, lessons and challenges faced by women’s rights organizations, on April 3 – 8.

The visit began with meeting the Girls Foundation, where representatives of this organization Selma HadÅ¾ihaliloviÄ‡ and Jasenka KapetanoviÄ‡ spoke about their work, activities and their way of advocating positive changes in society through education, art and culture. This foundation is known through the PitchWise Festival, which is organized once a year where women artists and activists from BiH and other countries gather and celebrate the diversity, strength and achievements of women.

Further, in Eastern Herzegovina – Trebinje, a meeting was held with the Women’s Center Foundation during which the representative of the organization, Ljiljana ÄŒiÄkoviÄ‡, briefly presented the foundation’s story and their current activities focusing on domestic violence and women’s economic empowerment. They have established good cross-sectoral and community co-operation to address domestic violence issues at the local level. They also provide legal aid and psychosocial support and advocate for the economic empowerment of survivors of domestic violence.

The following days were reserved for the workshops "Women’s Organization and Shrinking Space for Women Civil Society" led by Yllka Soba KtK Kosovo and Belma Becirbasic KtK BiH, during which participating organizations shared their experiences by exchanging challenges and lessons learned during the last two years focusing on the women’s organizing against domestic violence and the participation of women in decision-making processes.

Participating organizations also discussed the narrowing of space for women in civil society, with particular emphasis on advocacy and how space shrinking could affect women’s organizations fighting for human rights.

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Women’s organizations write to the Prime Minister on the establishment of a Government Commission on the Recognition and Verification of the Status of Survivors of Sexual Violence during the Kosovo Liberation War

03.05.2017

On Apr. 13, Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims together with Kosovo Women’s Network, Medica Kosova, Medica Gjakova and the Centre for Promotion of Women’s Rights (CPWR), sent a letter to the Prime Minister Mr. Isa Mustafa demanding the establishment of a Government Commission on the recognition and verification of the status of survivors of sexual violence during the Kosovo liberation war.

Through this letter they demanded for the decision making institutions to take the decision on functionalizing the commission and to start the acceptance of the applications for recognizing the status survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, bearing on mind that all members of the Commission were selected and the NGOs’that will support the verification process were authorized.

Among other things, the letter stated that "the establishment of this state mechanism is a prerequisite for recognizing the suffering of victims of sexual violence during the war and enables the realization of the benefits guaranteed by Law no. 04 / L-054 on the status and rights of martyrs, invalids, veterans, members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, victims of sexual violence, civil victims and their families, as well as other categories of war.

Therefore, in the name of survivors of sexual violence, we urge you to take swift action to initiate the legal process for documenting sexual violence during the war as a state obligation to guarantee rehabilitation, reparation and justice for victims of sexual violence ".

As a result, on Apr. 28, the Government of Kosovo approved the decision to establish a government commission for recognizing and verifying the status of victims of sexual violence during the war. With the establishment of this commission officially started the institutional support for victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo.

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Activists demand Justice for Zejnepe

03.05.2017

Under the motto #JusticeForZejnepe (#DrejtësiPërZejnepen), on Apr. 14, starting from 12:00, civil society activists joined to demand from the Ministry of Justice to appeal and amend the decision taken for the sentence imposed to the killer Nebih Berisha, who killed his wife in a domestic violence act.

The news of the decision became known to the public on 12 April. With the decision of the Basic Court of Prizren, the killer of the victim of domestic violence was sentenced to only 12 years in prison. The Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo, in Article 179 on Serious Murder states that "A punishment of not less than ten (10) years of imprisonment or life imprisonment shall be punishable by a person who: … 1.3. Deprives family member of life ".

Kosovo Women’s Network, through a press release, on that same day, reacted against this decision, which was assessed as a punishment that was not propitious to the offense, taking into account the circumstances of the murder, the weight of the offense and systematic violence the victim had experienced.

Following this press release, KWN together with civil society activists organized the protest #JusticeForZejnepe. The protest demand was clear: the decision on the sentence imposed on the killer of the victim of domestic violence, the late Zejnepe Bytyqi Berisha, to complain from the prosecution and to demand a maximum sentence for the commission of the criminal offense. Throughout this tragedy, their daughter also was hurt, so the relevant institutions would have to take appropriate action in accordance with the law.

Beside the civil society activists, the victims’ family members also participated in the protest. The mother, the sisters and the son-in-law of the victim expressed their dissatisfaction over the sentence pronounced by the Basic Court in Prizren. Sister of the late, Mrs. Hajrije Thaqi, addressed the media that were present during this protest expressing her dissatisfaction with the sentence imposed by the court, and also showed the systemic suffering her late sister had experienced by her husband. Another concern raised by the family was the inefficiency of the institutions in providing assistance to the victim when addressing these institutions for 16 years in a row as it had disrupted systematic violence.

The Standard Operation for Protection from Domestic Violence clearly define the duties and obligations of institutions in providing protection from domestic violence. In the best case, if these procedures are implemented as required by the responsible institutions, Kosovar citizens would accept the right protection and treatment from domestic violence. Unfortunately, in the case of Zejnepe Bytyqi Berisha, the institutions have failed to provide this assistance. In 2012, the late attempted to commit suicide, but this did not alarm Kosovo’s institutions to investigate who was the driving force behind this attempted assassination. Also, one year before his wife was killed, the perpetrator was arrested for domestic violence, but at the request of the late he was released. Justice and defense institutions in Kosovo have also failed to treat and respect standard operating procedures in this case. If the rehabilitation services were functional in Kosovo, and would work intensively on the rehabilitation and treatment of the perpetrators of such offenses, there would be fewer cases of murder and other forms of domestic violence today.

The initiative to help the family of the victim was not solved only by organizing a protest against the pronounced decision. KWN after this protest, continued co-operation with family members of the late, offering a legal expert who in cooperation with the prosecutor appointed for this case will appeal against the decision announced by the Court.

19.03.26