Pristina, December 7, 2022
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo is committed to the advancement of human rights in our country and their full respect. Therefore, we consider the promotion, respect and guarantee of human rights in our work every day, and in every decision, we make, declared the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, at the opening ceremony of Human Rights Week.
Being in the 16 Days of activism against violence against women and girls, Prime Minister Kurti called for more work and commitment, for one of the common goals, the prevention and fight against gender-based violence. “We must come together, both women with gender solidarity, and men, whose emancipation is even more necessary than that of women. We need the maximum commitment of all institutions, as well as each one of us, to advance our efforts”, said the prime minister at the event organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo – YIHR.
For equality, for more opportunities for everyone, and not to leave anyone behind, Prime Minister Kurti said that we have declared the year 2022 as the year of disabled people. Although it is our daily and permanent commitment, during this year we worked more, and better, together. This is how we will continue next year, and every other day. Let’s help first and foremost those who need it the most.
Further, he said that as the Government of Kosovo, we have projects and concrete investment plans in the economy and education, but also protection and security for everyone, and in particular for the most vulnerable groups of our society.
Emphasizing that the Government has shown serious commitment and concrete actions in the light of combating domestic violence and gender-based violence, Prime Minister Kurti recalled that in this direction they have engaged by: drafting and approving the Strategy and Action Plan for Protection from Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and Girls; drafting and approval of the State Protocol for Handling Cases of Sexual Violence; functionalization and regular meetings of the interministerial group; supplementing and amending the Law on Free Legal Aid: victims of violence are offered free legal aid regardless of socio-economic status; supplementing and amending the Law on Crime Victim Compensation: that is, the elimination of bureaucratic procedures for compensating victims (from January until now they have been compensated); providing expertise to the Assembly of Kosovo for the Draft Law on Protection from Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and Girls; the drafting of the Curriculum for professionals for treatment programs of perpetrators of domestic violence; supplementing and amending the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, with the aim of additional punishments for persons who are found guilty of domestic and sexual violence, as well as the publication of the names of the perpetrators, and the appointment of detention for suspected persons.
Full speech of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti:
Thank you, Adelina,
Thank you Marigona Shabiu, Executive Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights,
Honorable Frank Power, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Kosovo,
Honorable Naim Qelaj, Ombudsperson,
Honorable Afrim Maliqi, Director of HANDIKOS
Dear Ms. Luljeta Demolli, Director of the Kosovo Center for Gender Studies,
Honorable Samire Kika, from the Kosovo Police,
Dear Ambassadors, Ambassador of France Mr. Olivier Guerot,
Dear representatives of institutions, international organizations, and civil society,
Dear human rights activists,
Dear attendees,
Ladies and gentleman,
I apologize for being late because I was in a meeting in the morning with Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia from St. Egidio of the Vatican, and then at the 7th Raspberry Conference, and I must also apologize that I have to go after this speech.
To achieve social progress, the continuous progress of all citizens is necessary, opening the way for them without distinction, the roads that are the roads of freedom and opportunities.
As the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, we are committed to the advancement of human rights in our country and their full respect. Therefore, we consider the promotion, respect and guarantee of human rights in our work every day, and in every decision we make.
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Being in the 16 Days of activism against violence against women and girls, I call for more work and commitment, for one of our common goals, preventing and fighting gender-based violence. We must come together, both women with gender solidarity, and men, whose emancipation is even more necessary than that of women. We need the maximum commitment of all institutions, as well as each one of us, to advance our efforts.
The change we want requires both greater institutional responsibility and higher social awareness.
Our government has shown serious commitment and concrete actions in the light of combating domestic violence and gender-based violence, realizing the unfortunate consequences of these ongoing phenomena in our society.
In this regard, we have engaged by drafting and approving the Strategy and Action Plan for Protection from Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and Girls; drafting and approval of the State Protocol for Handling Cases of Sexual Violence; functionalization and regular meetings of the interministerial group; supplementing and amending the Law on Free Legal Aid: victims of violence are offered free legal aid regardless of socio-economic status; supplementing and amending the Law on Crime Victim Compensation: that is, the elimination of bureaucratic procedures for compensating victims (these compensations have been made from January until now); providing expertise to the Assembly of Kosovo for the Draft Law on Protection from Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and Girls; the drafting of the Curriculum for professionals for treatment programs of perpetrators of domestic violence; supplementing and amending the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, with the aim of additional punishments for persons who are found guilty of domestic and sexual violence, as well as the publication of the names of the perpetrators, and the appointment of detention for suspected persons.
So, we have also taken steps to increase dialogue with non-majority communities, in order to integrate them as full and equal participating citizens of our country. The rights of our minorities are protected and will continue to be. The rule of law, economic opportunity, and social justice will unite all citizens and communities in an inclusive society, regardless of their differences. And when I say minority, I don’t mean only ethnic or religious minorities, I’m also thinking about sexual minorities, and in this respect, we, have human rights as a starting point, not just a destination we reach somewhere we consider everyone equal, including people from the LGBTI community plus for those who feel extra.
For equality, for more opportunities for everyone, and not to leave anyone behind, we have declared 2022 the year of disabled people. We often call them special needs, maybe because we don’t know anyone who has unlimited abilities. Although it is our daily, permanent commitment, during this year we worked more, better, and together compared to other years. This is how we will continue next year, and for every day in the years to come. Let’s help first and most those who have the greatest needs, because that’s where we have to prove ourselves.
As the Government of Kosovo, we have projects and concrete investment plans in the economy and education, but also protection and security for everyone, and in particular for the most vulnerable groups of our society.
So, we have just started a battle in the most sincere and serious way and I will not stop this common battle, because as the slogan against domestic violence, against gender-based violence is “Not even one more”.
Dear attendees,
In order to have a healthy democracy, equality for all is necessary. There can be no democracy without human rights and pluralism.
There are some states, there are some governments, there are some presidents who want to prove to us in the 21st century that democracy is possible without human rights and political pluralism. I do not believe in this; democracy is not possible without human rights and political pluralism. Even when democracy is endangered, you may not be able to protect it directly, but precisely by investing in human rights and political pluralism, especially in human rights, because universality and equality conceptually come together through human rights. What we have in common is highlighted, that is, universality and equality.
But regardless of how we are and who we are and where we are, we are equal. I express my gratitude to the international partners, civil society organizations and human rights activists for the joint work and commitment. I believe that there is great power in this room, and I would say enough power to bring about change by furthering the joint efforts to build an inclusive future with greater opportunities for everyone and equal opportunities for all without distinction in a society that is just, progressive and forward-thinking.
As representatives of various organizations that at the same time lead in the membership and have support and sympathy, empathy and solidarity even more than you think, I am convinced that success will not be absent and will be closer than imaginable, but let’s be together against injustices.
Last modified: December 9, 2022