Prishtina, March 8, 2021 – On the occasion of marking March 8 – International Women’s Day, the Ombudsperson, as a state mechanism of equality, with a mandate to protect, monitor, and promote human rights, draws attention to dedicate to this day the achievements of women and girls with their great social engagement in political, social, cultural and economic issues in the country. The Institution of the Ombudsperson has been committed all the time so that the constitutional guarantees, the primary legislation as well as the standards defined in the international instruments and conventions, find full and factual implementation, becoming tangible and accessible for every girl and women in Kosovo.

This day should serve to restore the attention of our institutions and all parties involved for the full implementation of constitutional principles and the equal treatment of girls and women, in all spheres of life. During the closure of families in their homes due to the pandemic – domestic violence, marked a significant increase during this time and again challenged the battle for the continued empowerment of the role and position of women. This situation must find institutions and society always ready to prevent and fight.

A gender-equitable society inevitably means the equal participation of women and men in all spheres of public life, from the representation of women in senior decision-making positions to their involvement in the planning and design of public policies, which directly affect the livelihood and well-being of both sexes.