The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, visited theCentre for Protection and Rehabilitation of Women and Children “Liria” in Gjilan on 1 July. Zyhdi Haziri, Head of Basic Court; Elmina Mahmuti, Head of the Regional Police; and Labinota Demi, Head of the Directorate for Health and Social Welfare also took part in the visit.
    
Nazife Jonuzi, Director of Liria, said that domestic violence remains one of the biggest human rights abuses in Kosovo.
     “Violence happened during the conflict and it is happening also now, during peacetime,” she said.
    
Part of the discussion focused on important institutional and legal mechanisms that exist on paper, but are not being implemented in practice.
     “For this reason, our center continues to advocate at the local and central level for the creation of a long-term system for handling all aspects of domestic violence and gender-based violence. This includes having law enforcement for protection from domestic violence and long-term financial sustainability,” added Jonuzi.
    
Ambassador Jacobson congratulated Jonuzi and the staff of Liria for their work and commitment towards women’s empowerment, particularly in domestic violence cases. The Ambassador pledged strong support in terms of treating victims of domestic violence. She said that she would push processes at both the local and central level in law enforcement for protection from domestic violence and implementation of the Kosovo Program against Domestic Violence and Action Plan 2011-2014.