Students from Vienna and Venice Learn on Women’s Rights in Kosovo

19.01.2015

 Over 50 students from the Vienna Master in Human Rights in Austria, and the European Master in Human Rights and Democratization in Venice, Italy met Igballe Rogova, KWN Executive director on 17 January. The purpose of this meeting was for the students to acquire information on women’s rights and activism in Kosovo. 
    Rogova initiated her lecture by informing the students on women’s activism in the 90s, about the association “Motrat Qiriazi”. She also on the post-war period, and how the association never ceased its work by helping Kosovars who lived in refugee camps.
    The students that were present had the opportunity to become informed on how the first women’s rights organizations in Kosovo were formed, as well as on the history and work of KWN from its beginnings in 2000 as a formal network. The students were also interested in diverse issues, such as women in politics, war rape survivors, and the LGBT community in Kosovo.
    “This was one of the best experiences I had during my visit in Kosovo!” said one of the students. “I learned a lot today, and I am beyond happy that I was part of this lecture”.
The students were very inquisitive and interested to learn more, but considering that the lecture was scheduled to last only 2 hours, there was not enough time for Rogova to answer all their questions.  However, she expressed her willingness to answer the student’s questions by e-mail.

 

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KWN Reacts against Hate Speech Used by Minister Jabllanovic

16.01.2015

 The Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) condemns hate speech used against citizens by Alexander Jabllanovic, Minister for Community and Return in the Republic of Kosovo. Additionally, he publicly denied the statehood of the Republic of Kosovo, referring to it as “Kosovo and Metohija”.

On 6 Jan. 2015, citizens of Gjakova organized a protest to express their concern regarding the arrival of Serb pilgrims who visited the Orthodox Church in Gjakova for Orthodox Christmas. Gjakova citizens believed that some of these pilgrims were responsible for committing war crimes in Gjakova.
Prevented by the protest, the same pilgrims went to Zoqisht Monastery in Rahovec instead, where Minister Jabllanovic referred to the protesters in Gjakova as “savages”:
 
This is a holy and important holiday. The savages that stopped Serbs from visiting their burned houses will not serve anyone. We will demand an explanation from the Minister of Internal Affairs for this. The return of Serbs in Kosovo must be accompanied with security by the government of Kosovo and Metohija.
 
KWN recognizes the right to religious worship, as it recognizes the right to public protest and democratic expression of concerns, guaranteed to citizens by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. However, the hate speech used by Minister Jabllanovic and the denial of the Republic of Kosovo as an independent country represents a violation of the constitutionality and legality of the Republic of Kosovo.
 
KWN stands behind and in support of the Mothers of Missing Persons, an organization based in Gjakova that continues to seek information regarding their loved ones who disappeared during the war 16 years ago. Further, KWN continues to uphold that the issue of missing persons should be non-negotiable in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
 
KWN urges the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to respond as soon as possible and to take action in accordance with the law.

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MEHP calls for Legalization of Illegal constructions

15.01.2015

 On 12 Jan. different activities were organized to inform citizens about property legalization. These activities aimed to raise awareness about the process of registering illegal constructions among citizens, institutions and organizations.
The intention of this initiative is to encourage all citizens to register their illegal constructions before 5 Feb. 2015.
     “Two dates that all citizens should remember are 5 Feb. 2015, when the property registration ends, and 11 Mar. 2015, when the lists of all the illegal constructions will be published,” said Shpend Ahmeti, Mayor of Prishtina. “All citizens that don’t find their names on the list will also have the opportunity to fill a complain form. The period of application for legalization starts in Sep 2015, and ends in Mar. 2016.
     In 2017 the law will be repealed, therefore this provides a very good opportunity for all the citizens that have constructed properties  the past 14 years or earlier to ensure that their construction is  according to regulatory plans.
     Properties are divided into three categories that will be legalized after the registration procedure. This first phase is free of charge, while the applicants that have all the documents required by section 10 of the Law on Treatment of constructions without permit (2013/04-L-188)have to pay an administrative tax, which the municipality collects for the reregistration of the construction permits. Applicants must also pay the prepaid property tax before they obtain the legalization permit. For more information please visit the web page of the Ministry of Environmental and Hospital Planning.

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Activists Learn Strategies for Reporting Sexual Harassment

26.12.2014

Sexual harassment in public spaces remains widespread issue in Kosovo, experience suggests. However, it is seldom reported, so no reliable statistics exist. One reason for the absence of data is the lack of knowledge regarding procedures for documenting and reporting cases of sexual harassment. This became particularly apparent during the #TakeBackTheNight campaign against sexual harassment in public spaces, organized by the KWN-supported initiative FemACT (for more information click here).
     On 12 Dec., KWN organized an interactive workshop on how to document and report sexual harassment. Participants included KWN members, FemACT activists and representatives from the Peer Educators Network (PEN)and Klubi Bonu Burrë (The Be a Man Club). At the same time, the workshop sought to collect input based on activists’ experiences to better inform recommendations for the the draft law on Anti-discrimination and the draft law on Gender Equality, which are currently being reviewed. KWN plans to provide specific recommendations on these draft laws to the Legal Office in the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo.
     “It is frequently stated that the legal framework in Kosovo is good and that the problem lies in the lack of implementation only. In this workshop, you will learn about the many shortcomings of the legal framework itself,” said Donjeta Morina, FemACT Coordinator.
     Ariana Qosaj-Mustafa, Lead Researcher at the Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Developent (KIPRED) and simultaneously Chair of the KWN Board; as well as Tahire Haxholli, Lieutenant and Chief of the Sector on Domestic Violence at the Kosovo Police, were the trainers at this workshop.
      During her presentation, Ariana Qosaj-Mustafa summarized the relevant laws relating to sexual harassment in Kosovo, including what remains uncovered. “Regardless of how many shortcoming the legal framework in Kosovo has, activists should know that international conventions are directly applicable to Kosovo,” she said. “The Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is but one example. This means that whenever we deal with a case related to sexual violence we can refer to international standards.” CEDAW, for example, is within the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and is therefore directly applicable.
     Beyond the Constitution, sexual harassment is regulated through the Criminal Code, as well as the following four laws:
 
·         Law 2004/3 on Anti-Discrimination in Kosovo;The purpose of this Law is prevention and combating discrimination, promotion of effective equality and putting into effect the principle of equal treatment of the citizens of Kosovo under the rule of Law.
·         Law 2004/2 on Gender Equality in Kosovo; The present law shall preserve, treat and establish gender equality as a fundamental value for the democratic development of the Kosovo society, providing equal opportunities for both female and male participation in the political, economical, social, cultural and other fields of social life.
·         Law No. 03/L-142 on Public Peace and Order; The purpose of this law is to regulate personal conduct in order to preserve public peace and order.
·         Law No. 03/L-149 on Civil Service of the Republic of Kosovo; This law regulates the status of Civil Servants and the terms and conditions of their employment relationship with the institutions of the central and municipal administrations.
 
    Although different articles of these laws touch upon the issue of sexual harassment, in general sanctions are very low and procedures unclear.  The Law on Anti-discrimination is particularly vague: procedures are explained, but it is unclear which institution should implement them.
     “In Kosovo, we have ideal laws, but they are not practical,” said Hanife Rushiti, a FemACT activist. Activists agreed that the legal framework, particularly definitions, procedures and sanctions needed to be much clearer in the new laws.   
      Another concern that has been raised by activists during the recent campaign is that fact that even when sexual harassment is reported to police, officers often do not take reports seriously or know how to handle them. Therefore, Lieutenant Tahire Haxholli informed participants about the Police Inspectorate, a sector of the police where one can complain if one’s requests are not taken seriously by police. For example, if police offers tell you to keep an issue to yourself and not to make a big deal out of it, you can report the police officers to this Sector.
     “Victims of sexual violence do not have a specific gender or a specific age; and rape is not an impulsive crime that happens because of the way you are dressed or because you provoke someone,” Haxholli emphasized.  
     This workshop was supported by the Austrian Development Agency as part of KWN’s efforts to educate activists about the existing legal framework so that they can undertake more informed advocacy both relating to the new legal framework currently being drafted as well as towards the implementation of the current (and future) legal framework related to sexual harassment. 

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Public Debate on the #TakeBackTheNight Campaign

26.12.2014

FemACT organized a public debate in order to discuss and reflect upon the somewhat controversial #TakeBackTheNight campaign. The event was held on 12 Dec. at Dit’ e Nat’ and approximately 46 people attended.
    Panelists included Donjeta Morina, FemACT Coordinator at KWN; Eli Krasniqi, activist and sociologist; Linda Gusia, sociologist and professor at the University of Prishtina; and Hajrulla Çeku, activist and Executive Director of organization Ec ma ndryshe. Zana Hoxha-Krasniqi, activist and Executive Director of Artpolis, moderated the discussion.
    “The campaign aimed to initiate a discussion around this very widespread phenomenon, which is infrequently discussed in Kosovo,” said Donjeta Morina. “The campaign attracted many reactions: positive as well as negative. The most frequent negative criticism was directed at the hashtag itself: people claimed that a simple hashtag cannot bring about change. Another criticism involved ‘victim-blaming’, with people claiming that women get harassed because they dress ‘provocatively.’”
Hajrulla Çeku stated that this was a very necessary campaign and emphasized the importance of similar campaigns in the future and encouraged the continuation of the campaign. “Personally, I have never walked more than five minutes through public space without witnessing multiple cases of sexual harassment,” he said.
    “I was very happy about the campaign,” Eli Krasniqi stated. “There were so many positive aspects of it!” She said that she was thrilled that the word “feminism” was being used publically. The massive resistance that the campaign attracted, she explained, was due to the fact that women’s requests for equality are frequently mistaken as a request for domination.
    Linda Gusia noted the importance of “reflecting on what we can do better the next time.” Sexual harassment is deeply connected to control over freedom of movement, she said, as well as tendencies to discipline women’s bodies.
     The debate lasted two hours with audience participation. Some men felt excluded by the campaign, though KWN representatives emphasized that this was not KWN’s intent. Others raised concern with using English instead of Albanian as the campaign’s motto, as well as with regard to some of the statements used during the campaign.
 
 
 
 

 

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KWN Seeks Solidarity, Cooperation, Coordination in 2015

26.12.2014

 In the context of its new Strategy for 2015-2018, KWN is emphasizing three messages: solidarity, cooperation and coordination.
Solidarity is crucial for the survival of the women’s movement in Kosovo, as well as for forging alliances across diverse women and men towards furthering gender equality. Gossip and jealousy serve as swords that can undo solidarity among people and undermine their shared interests in furthering gender equality. KWN thus continues to promote solidarity, particularly among KWN member organizations and women in politics towards collaborating in achieving their shared aims.
Cooperation is important in partnering with other stakeholders to achieve shared aims, just as coordination with actors is important for decreasing overlap and improving efficiency and effectiveness of our work.
    Therefore, KWN has stepped up its outreach efforts, meeting with diverse actors that have similar interests. Meeting with various stakeholders who are involved in work similar to KWN’s is time consuming and sometimes a challenge, considering KWN’s many other activities and limited human resources. However, we consider coordination meetings crucial to knowing what is happening in each sector and ensuring that we maximize impact and decrease overlap with other actors working in similar areas. We have found from prior experience that the lack of coordination in Kosovo can undermine our efforts and contribute to frustration among the public officials with whom we collaborate.
     In 2015, KWN plans to take the lead in organizing coordination meetings related to support for furthering women’s participation in politics and decision-making. This includes all efforts targeting women in politics at municipal and national levels. KWN seeks to improve coordination and cooperation among the Lobby for Gender Equality, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Helvetas / Swiss Development Cooperation, the National Democratic Institute, the UN Kosovo Team, Women’s Caucus, Women’s Informal Groups, gender equality officers, women-led CSOs and other gender advocates at all levels. 
    KWN also will continue to participate in coordination groups on Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Property and Inheritance rights, respectively, currently organized by GIZ, as well as in the Security Gender Coordination Group led by UN Women and the Council for women who suffered sexual violence during the war, led by the President of the Republic of Kosovo.

 

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Lobby for Gender Equality Disappointed with Low Number of Women in New Government

25.12.2014

 The Lobby for Gender Equality in Kosovo expressed disappointment over the low number of women appointed to decision-making positions within the new government. The composition of the new government, with only two women ministers out of 21 ministers, is very unequal. The government cannot be considered representative of Kosovo citizens, as the population of Kosovo has an almost equal number of men and women. 

   The Law for Gender Equality guarantees the participation of women and men in decision-making positions with a quota of 40%. The new Government must implement this legal obligation.
   The composition of the new Government counters current political leaders’ electoral promises that more women would be appointed to decision-making positions. Moreover, the composition of the government with women holding only two of 21 ministerial positions, undermines efforts and investments by civil society and international organizations to achieve gender equality in all areas of life, particularly politics. 
 

 

 

 The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) mission is to support, protect and promote the rights and the interests of women and girls throughout Kosovo, regardless of their political beliefs, religion, age, level of education, sexual orientation and ability. KWN fulfills its mission through the exchange of experience and information, partnership and networking, research, advocacy, and service. As a Network of 89 women’s organization from all ethnic groups in Kosovo, KWN advocates in their name on local, regional and international levels.

 

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KWN Critiques Kosovo’s Draft Budget for 2015

25.12.2014

 As citizens of Kosovo and as taxpayers who have the right to participate in the democratic process of determining the budget of Kosovo, KWN wrote a letter members of the Kosovo Parliament on 19 Dec. expressing concern with the current draft budget for 2015. The draft budget fails to aside adequate resources towards the wellbeing of Kosovars, while overspending on infrastructure projects and parliamentarians’ salaries, KWN stated. To read the full letter, please click here.

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Dora Dorës Compiles Gender Equality Action Plan for Prizren

25.12.2014

 Since the Gender Equality Action Plan for the Municipality of Prizren for 2012-2014 will expire at the end of this year, the association Dora Dorës took the initiative to draft a new version of the plan for 2015-2017. The new action plan contains objectives towards gender equality for the period of 2015-2017 in the Municipality of Prizren. The current Action Plan (2012-2014) contains five focus areas identified by working groups: education; health; economic empowerment; gender based violence; and women in decision-making positions.  In addition, the new plan contains women’s participation in media, culture and sports.  
    KWN’s Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF), the Municipality of Pizren and Swiss Caritas supported Dora Dorës in successfully compiling the new Action Plan during December. 
   “The project succeeded in fostering cooperation between representatives of different areas of work, since the working group consisted of local institutions and civil society,” said Vjosa Curri, Director of Dora Dorës. 
     The new Gender Equality Action Plan 2015-2017 was published in four languages: Albanian, Serbian, Turkish and English. It will soon be available on the website of association Dora Dorës.
    This plan seeks to improve women’s and girls’ access to quality education; improve women’s and girls’ health and improve the quality of health services; address gender based violence; economically empower women and increase employment; contribute to equal participation of men and women in decision making in all areas of life; improve the image of women in media and culture; and contribute to women’s active participation in sports and culture.
     KWF is supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and Kvinna till Kvinna (KtK).

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On 6 Dec, 2014, KWN held its 12th Annual Meeting.

KWN supports Shyhrete and the University Rector

06.12.2014

  On 6 Dec, 2014, the Kosova Women’s Network (KWN), held its 12th Annual Meeting.  
     The meeting began with a screening of the documentary film about the Kosovo Women’s Fund. The Fund started supporting the activities of KWN members in 2012.
“During this year that we’re leaving behind, we have been valuable representatives of women’s needs and interests,” said Ariana Qosaj-Mustafa, KWN Chair of the Board, in her welcoming remarks.
    Ulrike Lunacek, Deputy President of the European Parliament, could not be present at the meeting, but she sent a video message that was shown to participants. “I really appreciate that the Kosova Women’s Network fosters cooperation among women and girls in Kosovo and includes various other actors in its daily work, whether operating on the local, regional or international level. Due to your work, the vision of a Kosovo society where women and men are equal becomes more realistic, but still a lot more needs to be done to fully realize equal rights, equal chances and opportunities for women in Kosovo,” said Ulrike Lunacek. “Finally, let me congratulate you also on getting a grant approved by the European Commission recently, which shows that not only I personally am convinced by your daily work but also other EU actors are.”
    Mr. Besim M. Kajtazi, Director of the Legal Office in the Office of the Prime Minister, expressed his gratitude regarding the role that KWN has played in implementing the Law on Domestic Violence. Speaking about the fight against domestic violence, he offered a very strong message to everyone, saying that “perpetrators should not be seen as men, but as weak.”
Arsim Aziri, representative from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) office in Kosovo, spoke about the start of cooperation with KWN and its continuation in future years, wishing KWN and its member organizations success.
    Then, Igballe Rogova, KWN Executive Director, took the floor. “KWN is a network that advocates. That is why today we are advocating: this annual meeting is organized with the motto ‘with Shyhrete’, as a confirmation that KWN supports Mrs. Shyhrete Berisha, who lost her husband and children during the war and currently is seeking justice for her rights to property. KWN fully supports her and all other women who still struggle to realize their legal rights to property in Kosovo,” said Mrs. Rogova.
“Lately we have seen a constant support for a person who with his work is convincing us that there is hope for changes in the University of Prishtina. That person is Ramadan Zejnullahu, Rector of the University of Prishtina ‘Hasan Prishtina’. Therefore, we support him and we say we are ‘with the Rector’ (‘Me Rektorin’).”
    Rogova also talked about the successes and results of KWN; gave concrete examples of the solidarity shown within the network; talked about the new KWN Strategy for 2015-2018; and thanked ADA and the European Union Office in Kosovo for their support, which will be crucial in contributing to the implementation of KWN’s Strategy for 2015-2018.
    Delina Fico, Human Rights Activist and KWN Advisory Board member, spoke on behalf of the network of organizations in Albania. “KWN is in fact an inspiration for women’s groups in Albania because you are a national network, which has begun and continued its work with organizations who have the energy and will to cooperate,” she said . “You are a role model for us as women’s groups, and what we need to learn in Albania is the fact that you have succeeded to bring a gender perspective in various debates related to the development of Kosovo.”   
KWN also recognized the following businesses which continuously support KWN by offering in-cost contributions: Night Design, Llampa, Hotel Sirius, Hotel Prishtina and Hotel Dolce Vita in Durres.  
Meanwhile, KWN elected and re-elected four new Board members. The commission that counted members’ votes consisted of Zana Hoxha Krasniqi, KWN Board Member; Xhejrane Lokaj, Director of Women’s Initiative Association, a KWN member organization; and Besa Shehu, Finance & Administrative Manager at KWN, counted the votes. The elected new Board members are: Ariana Qosaj Mustafa (48 votes), Besim M. Kajtazi (46 votes), Nermin Mahmuti (40 votes) and Hajrulla Çeku (32 votes).  Ola Syla who was also re-nominated did not get enough votes, therefore she was not elected as a board member.
During the break, members also evaluated KWN’s work in 2014. The results will be made public together with KWN’s final annual report in early 2015. 

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