Meeting in Gjilan Municipality with the women community and the Mechanism against Domestic Violence

In the framework of  Gender, Peace and Security program, KCSS organized the next meeting in Gjilan Municipality with participants from the Municipal Mechanism Against Domestic Violence that operates within Gjilan Municipality, and the women community.

The representatives of Municipal Mechanism Against Domestic Violence highlighted during the meeting the importance of an improved and closer cooperation between the institutions of this mechanism, as a crucial need for its efficient and successful functioning. The Municipality of Gjilan informed the participants about the plans and strategies for 2022, about regulating the issue of social housing and paying rents for victims of domestic violence.

In Gjilan, the treatment of victims of violence who have health and serious mental health problems is considered very challenging, as their housing can not be provided in the conditions that now have in the Safehouse.

Another problem identified from the public and the representatives of the Municipal Mechanism is the lack of a long-term plan for rehabilitation and reintegration of victims in society, after the end of their stay in the Safehouse. The dire economic situation, unemployment and lack of education are seen as factors that aggravate the situation of victims and sometimes force them to return to places of violence. The Municipality of Gjilan is committed to further increase the cooperation regarding the improvement of the situation of victims of domestic violence, as well as in raising awareness campaigns for preventing this phenomenon.

The fight against domestic violence was described as a common cause where the whole community should be involved, regardless of gender or age.

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