Prishtina, December 11^th, 2024 – The Ombudsperson, pursuant to Article 9, paragraph 2, sub-paragraph 12 of Law No. 05/L-021 on Protection from Discrimination, has submitted the 2023 Annual Report on the Implementation of the Law on Protection from Discrimination to the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo.

Supported by the Council of Europe, this report is the result of the Ombudsperson’s dedicated efforts to systematically monitor the application of this law. It provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and gaps in enforcing anti-discrimination legal provisions.

The report identifies several critical issues, including:

• Low institutional awareness regarding the importance of collecting and recording data on cases of discrimination;
• The absence of key elements in the general system for preventing and protecting against discrimination;
• Failure to implement minor offense procedures in cases of discrimination;
• Inadequate enforcement of the Law by the judiciary.

It is important to note that the lack of institutional data on violations of the Law does not necessarily reflect the true scope of the issue, as reports and complaints of discrimination in both the public and private sectors remain prevalent.

The report outlines six practical and actionable recommendations aimed at enhancing the implementation of the law and ensuring more effective protection against discrimination.

The Ombudsman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to advancing equality and combating discrimination, which are fundamental values of our state and society.

The full report in English soon available at: www.oik-rks.org