Prishtina, 1 June, 2023
In order to mark June 1, Children’s Day, today the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, chaired the next meeting of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Children’s Rights. In addition to the members of this committee, ministers Arbërie Nagavci, Albulena Haxhiu, Arben Vitia and Elbert Krasniqi, the head of the UNICEF office in Kosovo, Mrs. Nona Zicherman, the leader of KOMF, Mrs. Donjeta Kelmendi, the organizations for the protection of children’s rights as well as the representatives of the children themselves.
Reiterating the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to the well-being of children, Prime Minister Kurti stated in this meeting that investing in the well-being of children is a cornerstone for a just society.
Consequently, he showed how the Government, through social protection schemes and educational policies, is removing barriers to children’s development and education. At the same time, to ensure equality from an early age, we are distributing allowances to 351,000 children under the age of 16. Meanwhile, the Law on Early Childhood Education has been approved, where 500 assistants will be employed for children with disabilities and special needs. In this framework, as regards the mental and psycho-social health of children and their families, over 200 professionals of these services were trained last year alone.
According to the prime minister, institutional mechanisms for children’s rights have been established and operationalized at the central and local level, where until now teams for Children’s Rights have been established in 22 municipalities and activities have been carried out in 32 municipalities from the Office for Good Governance in the Office of Prime Minister, in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government Administration.
These Teams for Children’s Rights, Elbert Krasniqi, Minister of Local Government Administration, considered an important step towards raising awareness, important actors involved in ensuring children’s rights. He said that they will continue working together to address the biggest issues and problems that children are now facing.
The Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Arbërie Nagavci, during the meeting disclosed and informed the attendees about the policies of this ministry in early education, stressing that early childhood education remains one of the priorities of the Ministry and the Government, with the aim increasing the inclusion of children in early education and providing equal opportunities for all children in all municipalities of our Republic is a priority.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Arben Vitia, expressed his happiness that he was at this table and that the Minister of Health aims to develop quality health services with easy access for mothers and children, as well as a modern approach that will result in the improvement of the status health of these sensitive groups of the population as well as raising their quality.
The presence of children was also present at the meeting, in which case Esra Kerveshi, chairperson of the Advocacy Group of Children with Disabilities, thanked Prime Minister Albin Kurti for taking the time to listen to their requests.
In the end, Prime Minister Albin Kurti requested that we translate all the recommendations from today’s meeting into joint actions of local and international partner institutions and organizations, in joint engagement with children. While wishing the children heartily on their day, June 1, he advised them to always preserve the sensitivity, creativity and curiosity that characterizes the age of childhood.
The complete speech of Prime Minister Albin Kurti:
Dear members of the Interministerial Committee for Children’s Rights,
Dear Ministers of the Government, Nagavci, Haxhiu, Vitia and Krasniqi,
Dear head of the UNICEF office in Kosovo, Mrs. Nona Zicherman,
Dear leader of KOMF, Mrs. Donjeta Kelmendi,
Dear representatives of organizations for the protection of children’s rights,
Dear children’s representatives,
Dear children,
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,
Good morning and welcome to the Prime Minister.
I am happy that today I chair the next meeting of the Interministerial Committee for Children’s Rights, to reiterate the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to the well-being of children. Investing in the well-being of our children is not only an ethical and legal obligation, it is a cornerstone for a just and prosperous society.
Children’s rights are fundamental principles that always require our commitment. These rights from international conventions and treaties should be the desire in the hearts and intentions, in the mind and work of each of us.
Children’s rights are also the collective responsibility of the whole society. Therefore, as institutions, organizations, parents, educators and citizens, we must work side by side. By joining forces with knowledge, it is better and easier to make it possible to realize all children’s rights by protecting each one of them.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo is committed to a protective environment for children, with the aim of increasing well-being, improving health and the quality of education. Through social protection schemes and education policies, we are removing barriers to children’s development and education. For equality from an early age, we are sharing allowances for all children under the age of 16. So far, 351,000 children are receiving the allowance. We have approved the Law on early childhood education. We are increasing children’s access to early education and finalizing the new curriculum for ages 0-6. We are moving towards fulfilling our promise of hiring 500 new assistants for children with disabilities and special needs, considering that such a thing did not exist before. We are also committed to increasing the quality of education, recognizing its transformative power. So, care and knowledge about what we care about and the more knowledgeable those we care about, of course, makes the work easier for all parties and accelerates progress. In order to improve access to mental health and psycho-social services for children and families, more than 200 professionals were trained last year.
We have established and operationalized institutional mechanisms for children’s rights at the central level. The Office for Good Governance in the Prime Minister’s Office, in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government Administration, has so far established teams for Children’s Rights in 22 municipalities.
Work is being done intensively on the construction of the integrated and inter-institutional system of monitoring and evaluation of children’s rights, which will enable automated annual digital reporting in a visualized way.
For the complete implementation of the obligations arising from the Child Protection Law, in cooperation with partner organizations, we have carried out activities in 32 municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo with all interest groups and social categories, including institutional officials, social workers, health workers, educators, teachers, police officers, parents, and of course the children themselves.
Likewise, the implementation of the dynamic work plan dedicated to raising institutional capacities and the drafting of the state report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child has begun. Thus, the Republic of Kosovo has undertaken the fulfillment of international obligations that ensure the realization of all basic and inalienable rights for all children in Kosovo.
Dear members of the Interministerial Committee for Children’s Rights,
The recommendations from this meeting of ours today, let’s translate them into joint actions, of local and international partner institutions and organizations, in a joint commitment for children, with children, for the present and for their future. Let’s work together for a society that does not ignore children’s voices, that offers them equal opportunities and that protects their well-being.
Very dear children,
Always maintain the sensitivity, creativity and curiosity that characterizes the age of childhood. They are very important for you as individuals, but also necessary for the whole society and our country.
I sincerely wish you a Children’s Day, your day. Happy June 1st and be happy always, not only on June 1st!
Last modified: June 1, 2023