Women-led Organizations Drive Support for Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Kosovo

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five women pose in a supermarket for a group photo
Medica Gjakova team members at the supermarket supported by the grant from the UN Trust Fund, selling products made by survivors of violence. Credit: Etsehiwot Eguale/UN Trust Fund

In the 1990s, the Western Balkans witnessed devastating conflicts, with Kosovo at the heart of mass atrocities.[1] During the 1998 -1999 war, civilians endured brutal violence, forced displacement and systematic sexual violence, leaving deep scars across the population. 

In 2015, Kosovo took a landmark step with the passage of Regulation no. 22/2015 [2], granting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) perpetrated between February 1998 to June 1999 the right to apply for official "survivor status". This recognition unlocked access to vital reparations, including a monthly pension, legal aid, free healthcare, and other critical benefits. Following years of tireless advocacy from survivors’ associations and civil society, Kosovo established the Commission for the Verification and Recognition of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Victim Status in 2017. The Commission identifies survivors and provides them with support while safeguarding their identity. 

Since 2018, over 2,100 survivors have come forward, with more than 1,600 granted survivor status, enabling them to receive the reparations they deserve. UN Women has been instrumental in both establishing and strengthening the Commission, ensuring that Kosovo’s CRSV survivors have access to justice and to support they need. 

A woman is seen from the back. She has black hair and is standing in front of a couple of paintings in a room. Her face cannot be seen.
A survivor of conflict-related sexual violence in Kosovo receives support from Medica Kosova. Credit: Etsehiwot Eguale/UN Trust Fund

Pillars of Support 

For 25 years, Nderime Sahatqija, psychosocial counsellor at Medica Gjakova, has been a lifeline for survivors of CRSV in Kosovo. Reflecting on the early days, she recalled,  

“In the beginning, we went door-to-door in Gjakova [city] to raise awareness and introduce available services to women. Since recognition and reparations for sexual violence in Kosovo in 2015, Medica Gjakova and other civil society organizations have secured close to 2,000 applications for women due to our dedicated efforts.” 

Veprore Shehu, the executive director of Medica Kosova, a short white woman with chin-long brown straight hair, wearing jeans and a grey t-shirt and standing in the corner of a white room with some posters on the wall.
Veprore Shehu, the Executive Director of Medica Kosova. Credit: Etsehiwot Eguale/UN Trust Fund

Veprore Shehu, Executive Director of Medica Kosova, also highlighted the crucial legal counsel and psychological support her organization provides. In 2023 alone, Medica Kosova supported 67 CRSV survivors, helping them access justice and healing. 

Medica Gjakova and Medica Kosova, two leading women’s rights organizations in Kosovo, have been on the front lines since 1999, offering vital specialist support to women survivors of CRSV. These organizations, grantee partners of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) provide everything from legal counsel and court accompaniment to psychosocial support and livelihood training. They are among the only four licensed organizations, financially supported by the government, helping survivors to apply for recognition of their legal status.

Survivors Finding their Voices 

At Medica Gjakova and Medica Kosova, survivors begin reclaiming their voices by sharing their needs. Nderime of Medica Gjakova explained, “For many women, they conceal their experiences of violence, even from their closest family members, and the center may be the first place where they feel safe enough to share their stories.” Through self-help groups like “Piskota,” survivors connect and find comfort in sharing daily challenges with each other. 

At a Medica Kosova-run center, care does not end when survivors leave. As one member shared, “It's like coming home, finding people who understand you, and even after all this time, this place is open for us whenever we feel like we need support and still call us time to time to see how we are.” 

The organizations have advocated for an extension of the CRSV Commission's mandate, ensuring survivors have more time to apply for recognition. As Veprore of Medica Kosova noted, “The current system's time constraints may deter survivors from seeking recognition due to lingering social shame and stigma. Extending the application period could facilitate more survivors' reclaiming their rights over time.” 

Since the Commission's creation, Medica Gjakova and Medica Kosova have supported 251 and 449 survivors, respectively, in securing their legal status. 

Holistic Services for Survivors  

For over two decades, both Medica Kosova and Medica Gjakova have evolved their services, and in the past year alone, they’ve helped over 100 survivors apply to the Commission. 

Their holistic approach includes: 

  • Psychosocial care, offering individual and group counseling; 
  • Legal support, providing court representation and free legal aid; 
  • Gynaecological, with frequent health check-ups and PAP tests; and 
  • Economic training, teaching survivors how to secure raw materials, create market spaces and build entrepreneurial networks.  

In August 2024, Medica Gjakova opened its second shop in Pristina, where products made by survivors are sold, further empowering women economically. As one woman entrepreneur shared, “These initiatives and workshops have created safe spaces for friendship and newfound confidence.” 

A women underneath a balloon arch is speaking in a microphone in front of a crowd, gathered near the entrance of a brand new super market
Opening of the new Medica Gjakova shop in Prishtina, Kosovo. Credit: Medica Gjakova

With in-country support from UN Women, Kosovo recently approved its first-ever National Strategy on Transitional Justice, incorporating a gender-sensitive approach to address gender-based violations. "For over two decades, UN Women has been unwavering in its support for CRSV survivors in Kosovo, collaborating closely with women’s organizations, local authorities, and law enforcement for survivor-centred services and access to justice Our programmes have economically empowered survivors, strengthened the capacities of the CRSV Commission and service providers. Equally important, we remain dedicated to advocacy efforts aimed at dismantling the stigma surrounding CRSV”, said Vlora Tuzi Nushi, Head of UN Women Kosovo Office.

Institutional Support to Women-Led Organizations 

Violence against women in Kosovo remains widespread, with women representing 80% of survivors in reported cases of domestic violence, with an estimated 90% of cases going unreported.[3] Women-led organizations like Medica Kosova and Medica Gjakova are often the first point of contact for women survivors, helping them navigate the complex application process and overcome the fear of ostracization while advocating for survivors’ recognition and redress.  

Edi Gusia, Executive Director of the Agency for Gender Equality, Office of the Prime Minister, noted, “Civil society organizations play a critical role in providing critical community support to women and girls, amidst regional challenges. Investing in women is crucial for long-term peace.” 

 

[1]All references to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

[2]Regulation no. 22/2015 On Defining the Procedures for Recognition and Verification of the Status of Sexual Violence Victims During the Kosovo Liberation War to implement Law No. 04/L-054 On the Status and the Rights of the Martyrs, Invalids, Veterans, Members of Kosova Liberation Army, Civilian Victims of War and Their Families.

[3]Paula Krol, Emine Kabashi, Ardita Ramizi Bala. Mapping Support Services for Victims of Violence Against Women in Kosovo*. Council of Europe. 10 June 2017. Accessed: 25 September 2024.