On 21 July 2017, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) organized a training for monitors from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). The training was held in the framework of cooperation that these two networks recently began, monitoring the work of Kosovo institutions in ensuring justice, protection and rehabilitation in cases of gender-based violence.
     Gender-based violence involves any form of violence committed by one person against another person because of that person’s gender. In Kosovo, women and girls are significantly more affected by different forms of violence, only because of their gender. Knowing this, KWN and BIRN have joined forces to fight gender-based violence, aiming to increase institutional accountability in addressing it, to deter persons from perpetrating it, as well as to encourage citizens to report it. The types of cases to be monitored include domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape and any other form of gender-based violence.
     Training participants were informed about gender-based violence, its forms, the duties and obligations of relevant institutions in addressing it and standard operating procedures in protection against domestic violence. Participants also discussed gender biases and stereotypes that may affect poor implementation of institutional responsibilities related to gender-based violence, drawing from evidence from KWN’s prior research on domestic violence and sexual harassment.
     KWN and BIRN will begin monitoring institutions in July 2017. The networks encourage persons reporting gender-based violence to inform us about any poor performance by institutions in treating their cases. Further, please do inform us if you would like a well-trained monitor to follow your case as you approach police and other institutions, towards monitoring how these institutions treat your case in accordance with their roles and responsibilities. This can contribute to holding institutions accountable to carrying out their responsibilities correctly. 
     The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) is supporting this monitoring initiative. The initiative also is contributing to the implementation of the EU Gender Action Plan II in Kosovo, by improving the ability of media to investigate, research and report on gender-based violence.