Prishtinë, 25 November 2020 – The Ombudsman, on the occasion of marking the International Day for the Elimination of  Violence against Women and in order to raise public awareness, reminds state institutions of their liability to provide victims of violence with appropriate and immediate protection from the risk of violence. The purpose of marking this day, among others, is also the importance for the society to ensure the respect of the rights of victims of domestic violence.

Violence against women and girls is a widespread form of human rights violations. The data show that one in three women in the world has been a victim of domestic violence, and the perpetrator of the violence is very often a man from the victim’s immediate family.

The Ombudsperson Institution, during the period of the spread of the pandemic and the measures imposed to citizens by the Ministry of Health, has been notified on increased number of reported cases of domestic violence.

The Ombudsperson also points out that restrictions on movement during the COVID 19 pandemic, and increased violence against women, obliges state authorities to take steps in the future to ensure that the home does not become again a place of fear for women and girls in our society.

The Ombudsman emphasizes the need for close cooperation between state institutions, civil society and the society in general, in order to prevent violence against women, and to reach a common stand and opinion that violence against women is unacceptable and intolerable.

Further, the Ombudsman considers a positive step inclusion of the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) in the Constitution of Kosovo, enforcement of its recommendation by the Assembly of Kosovo, and strongly believes that this action in the future will have a positive effect on the fight against violence against women. The Convention describes violence against women as a “violation of human rights” and as a “form of discrimination”.

The Ombudsperson calls upon all citizens to report domestic violence to authorities, so that institutions are provided with the opportunity to act in accordance with the existing legal basis even during the pandemic.