Meeting in Mitrovica against domestic violence

In the framework of the Gender and Security project, KCSS held the next meeting with the women community and institutional representatives in the Municipality of Mitrovica.

In the framework of the Gender and Security project, KCSS held the next meeting with the women community and institutional representatives in the Municipality of Mitrovica.

In this meeting was discussed about the security challenges faced by women in the Municipality of Mitrovica, with special emphasis on domestic violence. In this discussion, police representatives, other important actors, and the women community of Mitrovica, offered their perspectives regarding the challenges of fighting this phenomenon in Mitrovica region. 

The Regional Police Director, Mrs. Aferdita Mikullovci highlighted the large increase in the number of survivors of violence during the period of isolation in 2020. Further, Mrs. Mikullovci said that the number of cases is continuously increasing, and that the future of women survivors of gender-based violence after completing their stay in the safehouses is also seen as a challenge. One recommendation that came from the participants, was the establishment of a rehabilitation center for the treatment of perpetrators of domestic violence, to prevent recidivism, thus to create a safer future for the survivors.

The meeting further discussed the lack of basic conditions that the Safehouse for survivors of domestic violence faces. The Mitrovica Region Safehouse accommodates 60 to 80 women with minimal staff and lack of security. An improvement of the living conditions in the Safehouse, as well as a long-term solution after the Safehouse period ends, is seen as crucial and emergent.

Another identified problem, similar to other municipalities where meetings were held, is the lack of economic empowerment of women and their education, as a key basis for the emancipation of society and prevention of this negative phenomenon.

KCSS, through this project, will organize meetings in all municipalities of Kosovo to  raise awareness against violence against women in Kosovo and the greater integration of women in Kosovo society.

This activity is supported by Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) program ‘EJA Kosovo’, cofinanced by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Sweden, and Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.