
The Ombudsperson met representatives of civil society organizations from the region of Peja
Peja, December 5, 2023- Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj participated in the round table on human rights, which was organized by the Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC), in which civil society organizations from the region of Peja participated.
This roundtable aimed to raise awareness and understanding of human rights issues on the ground from the perspectives of affected communities and facilitate close cooperation between the Ombudsperson’s Institution and civil society organizations in the region.
Mr. Qelaj in his introductory speech spoke about his mandate, the issues raised by this institution that affect the issues of communities and vulnerable groups, as well as the good cooperation that exists with civil society organizations.
“Civil society organizations are permanent partners of the institution, that’s why we have established the Forum of Dialogue with Civil Society, through which we receive valuable information about the systemic problems of human rights that exist in our country, which then we address through reports with recommendations that we start with self-initiative (ex officio)”.
He further emphasized the importance of these organizations approaching the institution and raising the concerns of the communities they represent, because only in this way the institution can influence the improvement of respect for human rights which are guaranteed by legal and international standards.
During the roundtable, the participants discussed a number of problems faced by the citizens of the region of Peja, including social issues, inclusiveness, the need for a stable budget for organizations that provide social services to vulnerable groups, including children with disabilities, the employment of persons with disability, respect for language rights, and a number of other issues that will be addressed by our institution wherever the constitutional and legal mandate allows.