Pristina, March 29, 2023
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the launch of the project of the European Council for “Alignment of laws and policies with the Istanbul Convention”, which he said is a big step towards equality. In this event, the Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, was also present and participating.
This project aims to further align our laws and policies, precisely with the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, an institution we aspire to join, because we believe and we cultivate the values of democracy, human rights and rule of law, said Prime Minister Kurti.
Prime Minister Kurti said that each effort for equality opens up paths for emancipation and solidarity. A big step towards equality is this treaty that has gathered us today, which is otherwise known as the Istanbul Convention. The government has assumed the obligations that this convention provides.
“We are doing our utmost to implement the steps and measures required of us, and this commitment of ours is based on a simple goal: So that no woman lives in fear of violence and that every girl grows up feeling safe”, stressed Prime Minister Kurti, adding that as a response to violence, our institutions have significantly improved the legal framework with the latest changes in the “embrace ‘ of the Istanbul Convention.
He added that the legal framework, in addition to advancement, should be accompanied by appropriate public policies, increase in the quality of public services, economic independence, and stable financing, therefore with the aim of independence and economic empowerment of women, in these two years of government, concrete steps have been taken for a more egalitarian Kosovo between women and men.
Prime Minister Kurti said that with institutional and social commitment, they will work to eliminate violence against women and girls, this social phenomenon that makes equality impossible, because there can be no social equality without gender equality.
“We must fight inequalities, injustices and prejudices together. Domestic violence and gender-based violence must be effectively fought by everyone, all the time, and everywhere. We will be side by side, towards gender equality, which is therefore a prerequisite for an equal society”, said Prime Minister Kurti.
Prime Minister’s full speech:
Honorable Mr. Frank Power, Head of the Council of Europe Office,
Honorable Ms. Albulena Haxhiu, Minister of Justice,
Honorable Ms. Claudia Luciani, Director of the Council of Europe Directorate for Human Dignity, Equality and Governance,
Honorable Mrs. Drita Rexhaj, member of the Kosovo Judicial Council,,
Your Excellency Shpresa Jusufi, Ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia,
Excellencies ambassadors and other diplomats,
Deputy Minister and Member of Parliament,
Leaders and representatives of local and international organizations,
Honorable activists, defenders of women’s rights,
Ladies and gentleman,
Honorable attendees,
I am pleased to address you today at the launch of this project, which aims to further align our laws and policies, precisely with the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, an institution we aspire to join, because we believe and we cultivate the values of democracy, human rights and rule of law.
Meetings and discussions like this, where the main word is the fight against violence against women and domestic violence, in themselves represent efforts for equality. Each effort for equality opens paths for emancipation and solidarity. Emancipation and gender solidarity lead us towards a fairer and more equal society.
A big step towards equality is this treaty that has gathered us today, which is otherwise known as the Istanbul Convention. In May of this year, it will be 12 years since the Convention of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which in September 2020 became part of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo.
We, as the Government, have assumed the obligations provided by the Istanbul Convention. We are doing our utmost to implement the steps and measures required of us, and this commitment of ours is based on a simple goal: So that no woman lives in fear of violence and that every girl grows up feeling safe.
The obligations from the convention are also a call for deeper cooperation between us, with an inter-sectoral approach, for the prevention of violence, protection from violence, criminal prosecution of perpetrators and integrated policies. For a strengthened institutional chain, which works in this order: institutional response in the prevention, protection and treatment of cases of violence against women and girls, bringing the missing justice, fast and quality services, as well as institutional accountability.
In response to the violence, our institutions have significantly improved the legal framework with recent amendments to ’embrace’ the Istanbul Convention.
In this regard, we have approved the national strategy against domestic violence. This strategy aims at the early identification and prevention of violence, the harmonization of public policies with international standards, the strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation for the protection and treatment of victims, as well as the sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors of violence.
Then, we have provided free legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence, regardless of their socio-economic status. Now, each woman who is a victim of domestic violence has the opportunity to benefit from free legal aid as a special category, without having to prove financial impossibility or lack of wealth.
We continued to support survivors of sexual violence during the war. We have extended the application process and the mandate of the Government Commission for recognition of the status of victims of sexual violence during the war;
We facilitated the compensation of crime victims;
For the first time, we have approved the state protocol for the treatment of sexual assaults;
We have approved curricula for the treatment of abusers; meanwhile
This year, the budget will be increased for shelters housing victims of violence.
Also, we have advanced by defining violence against women as a criminal offense in the Criminal Code.
Within the Legislative Agenda, we have the draft law on social services, which foresees a deep reform of the Centers for Social Work, which provide social and family services for victims of domestic violence.
Although there are 38 Centers for Social Work throughout Kosovo in all its municipalities and they offer more than 70 services to citizens, in the past they have not been given due attention. For this, the working group is already making a detailed analysis of the situation in these centers, in relation to responsibilities, challenges, but also human and professional capacities.
The legal framework, in addition to advancement, must be accompanied by appropriate public policies, increase in the quality of public services, economic independence, and stable financing. The needs of women in all their diversity of situations in society must be addressed.
Therefore, with the aim of the independence and economic empowerment of women, in these two years of government, we have taken concrete steps for a Kosovo as equal as possible between women and men:
– In 2022, over 5,000 women have been employed through measure 1.3 of the Economic Recovery Package.
– Over 337,000 children receive allowances every month and the funds go to the mother’s account. As a result of receiving child benefits, there are 89,241 women who for the first time have opened bank accounts in our country.
– Through the measure “Government for the Family”, 603 women have been employed, who with their salary are the only source of income for their families.
– Through internship or the Superpuna platform, from the age of 18 to the age of 25, 1,401 girls were hired.
– We supported 44 women-owned businesses in expanding their businesses.
With the public call of the Ministry of Economy for subsidizing energy efficiency, we have supported 45 self-feeding mothers, and 468 women who are supported by the social scheme have benefited from individual biomass stoves.
Through the instruction for the registration of joint property on behalf of both spouses, 4375 couples have registered the property on behalf of both spouses. We will continue this measure as an affirmative measure. As gender-based discrimination continues to deprive women and girls of their right to property and inheritance.
To help girls’ education, to close the gender gap in professions, we have allocated scholarships to 1382 girls. For this academic year, we have doubled the budget, allocating 2 million euros for 2,000 scholarships, i.e. women and girls.
The lack of justice and equality encourages challenging dominant and patriarchal norms and additional injustice from the inaction of institutions in their role as protectors, exacerbates this. Violence against women and girls and femicide have been at very alarming levels over the years. Equally disturbing is the neglect of institutions to provide protection orders, to provide security and justice for many women and girls.
Therefore, we need maximum commitment, joining forces of state bodies and prioritizing cases of domestic violence, so that we can have a successful result. With justice institutions, which bring justice, and equality, which brings more welfare.
Honorable ladies and gentlemen,
I want to thank and express my deep gratitude to all those who offer protection and support to women and girls.
I thank the partner organizations for their support to our institutions, with the aim of implementing the obligations arising from the Istanbul Convention.
With institutional and social commitment, we will work to eliminate violence against women and girls, this social phenomenon that prevents equality, because we cannot have social equality without gender equality.
In addition to the professional responsibility in our institutions, joint efforts and actions must be increased to address the obstacles to equality, through, of course, their elimination. We must fight inequalities, injustices and prejudices together. Domestic violence and gender-based violence must be effectively fought by everyone, all the time, and everywhere.
We will be side by side, towards gender equality, which is therefore a prerequisite for an equal society.
Thank you for the invitation and for all the work and contribution you have done, are doing, and will do together in the future.
Last modified: March 30, 2023