STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN KOSOVO

Partners and Supporters:

The Embassy of Finland, UN Women

Efforts have been made in Northern Kosovo to strengthen women’s rights through the construction of a safe-house for victims of domestic violence.  This project further seeks to improve the status of victims of domestic violence in Northern Kosovo through institutional capacity-building and the implementation of international and local legal norms on domestic violence.  Throughout the course of the implementation period, AKTIV will seek to build a broad coalition of support for victims of domestic violence. This will include civil society organizations as well as representatives from public institutions including municipalities. The fight against domestic violence will become a priority both on a social and on a political level.  The project will ultimately result in the opening of the safe-house which will provide both shelter, psycho-social support as well as skills trainings for victims.

Main Objectives:

1.      To create an efficient and sustainable system for institutional response to domestic violence issues in northern Kosovo

2.      To foster institutional responsibility in dealing with the rights of vulnerable social groups

3.      To lay the groundwork for the establishment and construction of a safe-house in north Kosovo

Project Activities:

1.      The formation of a Task Force made up of representatives of local civil-society organizations and public institutions which will conduct a feasibility study

2.      A series of training workshops for local instituations on working with victims of domestic violence

3.      Creating a system of inter-institutional cooperation in combating domestic violence

4.      Securing a location for a safe-house and the cooperation of the non-governmental and public sector for its long-term maintance and success

Project Results:

Result 1:  A feasibility study has been performed by local professional and has successfully identified the needs and strategic directions for efforts to achieve all the required preconditions for the establishment of a safe house.  Initial cooperation with the Kosovo Police and other relevant authorities has been secured.

Result 2: Capacity building training for relevant local institutions and the Kosovo Police has been carried out. Institutions have an increased capacity to deal with domestic violence cases effectively

Result 3: Institutional commitment to the establishment of the safe house obtained from local relevant authorities. The groundwork has been laid for the construction of the safe house.

NGO AKTIV Mitrovica

NGO AKTIV Priština

NGO AKTIV Beograd