Prishtinë, 25 February 2022 – the Ombudsperson Institution (OI) during 2022 will continue with the inquiry initiated last year, concerning reproductive health, with the main focus on three particular issues: maternal health, family planning and abortion in Kosovo.

As emphasized in the information published in November 2021, this general inquiry will cover rural and urban areas, with throughout coverage of the whole country and will be based on evidence obtained straight from women / girls, whose rights, directly or indirectly interlinked with reproductive health, have been potentially violated. Witnesses and experts, including civil society will also be interviewed during the inquiry with regard to systematic violations of human rights in the field of health as well as sexual and reproductive rights.

This inquiry represents continuation of the General Assessment of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, conducted in 2016 by the OIK, with UNFPA, Kosovo Office support. The inquiry will be comprehensive, but with added emphases on vulnerable and sidelined groups and will address issues that appear in the systematic manner in the aforementioned areas. The working methodology for conducting this inquiry is in line with Ombudsperson’s working principles, that are: good governance, transparency, inclusiveness, non-discrimination, gender sensitivity, confidentiality, as well as will follow the principle of not causing harm.

Worth mentioning here that the given inquiry does not replace the role of the judiciary and other law enforcement bodies, but represents Ombudsperson’s follow-up work, pursuant to constitutional and legal mandate, with regard to protection of human rights and freedoms, closely connected to “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, especially with some aims of Goal 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”; and the Goal 5: “Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls.”

In accomplishing of public dimension of this inquiry, the OIK announces that during this year, face-to-face interviews and focus groups will be organized with potential victims of violations of sexual and reproductive health rights, throughout the country, as well as meetings with Non-Governmental Organizations and public debates.

Organizing and holding of the second round of focus groups in Prishtina, Peja, Gjakova, Prizren, Mitrovica, Gjilan and Ferizaj is also foreseen, as an ongoing activity of focus groups held in the autumn of 2021 (notification for specific dates will be made on time). This year our greater focus will be in rural areas and marginalized social categories, which are easily more vulnerable.

However, the OIK will also address requests for official information, updated data and interviews with relevant authorities, with regard to the issues that are being under inquiry.

The OIK and UNFPA calls upon the public for information on the three issues at the core of the inquiry and encourages women and girls, who deem that they can share their experiences with us and contribute with their testimonies from the perspective of the above raised issues, to become a part of such gatherings, based on regions where they live and work. The call is also dedicated to interested individuals, representatives of civil society as well as experts, to share their personal experiences or those experiences where they may have witnessed the violation of guaranteed rights, which are in the spotlight of this inquiry.

Women and girls, as well as other interested parties who are willing to share their experiences of what has been stated above, can make a call to IAP phone number 0800 15555 (free of charge). Any reference in respect of the evidence or experiences shared in focus groups, will be maintained in anonymity.