Mapping support services for victims of violence against women in Kosovo* PREMS 095617 Council of Europe project “Reinforcing the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in Kosovo*” MAPPING SUPPORT SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN KOSOVO* Council of Europe project “Reinforcing the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in Kosovo*” Author:Paula Krol Local experts: Emine Kabashi Ardita Ramizi Bala 10 June 2017 The opinions expressed in this work are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Council of Europe * All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo. Table of contents 1. Overview of the overall system and approach to violence against women ............................ 1 1.1. General background .................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Women’s situation in Kosovo* ..................................................................................................... 2 1.3. Prevalence of violence against women ....................................................................................... 3 1.4. Legal and policy framework ......................................................................................................... 4 1.5. Institutional structures, mechanisms and actors responding to violence against women .............................................................................................................. 8 2. Background to study and methodology .................................................................................... 11 2.1. Study .......................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2. Istanbul Convention and standards for violence against women .............................................. 12 2.3. Survey ........................................................................................................................................ 15 2.4. Interviews ................................................................................................................................... 17 3. Local Context ............................................................................................................................... 18 4. Services ........................................................................................................................................ 20 4.1. General/specialist services (Articles 20 and 22 of the Istanbul Convention) ............................ 20 4.2. Type of service .......................................................................................................................... 24 4.3. Shelters (Article 23 of the Istanbul Convention) ........................................................................ 27 4.4. Telephone helplines (Article 24 of the Istanbul Convention) ..................................................... 29 4.5. Support for victims of sexual violence (Article 25 of the Istanbul Convention) .......................... 31 4.6. Support for child witnesses (Article 26 of the Istanbul Convention) .......................................... 35 4.7. Counselling/crisis centres .......................................................................................................... 37 4.8. Perpetrator programmes (Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention) .............................................. 38 4.9. Support through the legal process (Articles 55 and 56 of the Istanbul Convention) ............................................................................................................................................. 41 5. Approach to violence against women (Article 3 of the Istanbul Convention) ....................... 43 6. Rights and equalities (Article 4 of the Istanbul Convention) ................................................... 47 6.1. Discrimination and equalities ..................................................................................................... 47 6.2. Human Rights ............................................................................................................................ 49 6.3. Access and availability ............................................................................................................... 51 7. Gender perspective (Article 6 of the Istanbul Convention) ..................................................... 55 8. Funding (Article 8 of the Istanbul Convention) ......................................................................... 58 9. Training (Article 15 of the Istanbul Convention) ....................................................................... 60 10. Safety and confidentiality (Article 18 of the Istanbul Convention) ......................................... 64 11. Multi-agency collaboration (Article 18 of the Istanbul Convention) ....................................... 68 12. Provision of information (Article 19 of the Istanbul Convention) ........................................... 71 13. Tensions and challenges ............................................................................................................ 74 14. Feedback on the survey .............................................................................................................. 75 15. Summary and recommendations ............................................................................................... 76 References ................................................................................................................................................. 86 Annex I ....................................................................................................................................................... 92 Annex II .................................................................................................................................................... 134 List of abbreviations AGE Agency for Gender Equality AI Administrative procedure CC Criminal Code CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women CSW Centre for Social Work DVIU Domestic Violence Investigation Units EIGE European Institute for Gender Equality EPO Emergency Protection Order EU European Union GREVIO Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence ICITAP International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program KFPI Kosovo Forensic Psychiatric Institute LGBT Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons LGE Law no. 05/L-020 on Gender Equality LPD Law no.05/L-021 on the Protection from Discrimination LPDV Law no.03/L-182 on Protection against Domestic Violence MLSW Mistry of Labour and Social Welfare NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NCDV National Co-ordinator against Domestic Violence NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NSPDVAP National Strategy on Protection from Domestic Violence and Action Plan 2016-2020 OHRGE Offices for Human Rights and Gender Equality OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe PO Protection Order RCC Rape Crisis Centre SVRC Sexual Violence Referral Centres SOPs Standard Operation Procedures for Protection from Domestic Violence in Kosovo TEPO Temporary Emergency Protection Order UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNMIK UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo* VA Victim Advocate VAAO Victim Advocacy and Assistance Office WAVE Women Against Violence Europe Acknowledgments This report was developed within the framework of the project “Reinforcing the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in Kosovo*”, implemented by the Council of Europe within the framework of the Council of Europe Overview of co- operation activities in Kosovo*. The Council of Europe would like to thank the Council of Europe consultants in the project, Ms Emine Kabashi and Ms Ardita Ramizi Bala, for conducting the data research and Ms Paula Krol for drafting this report. 1. Overview of the overall system and approach to violence against women 1.1. General background Located in the heart of the Balkans, Kosovo* covers 10,908 km2. With a population of almost 1.8 million people, Kosovo* is still undergoing a process of post-conflict rehabilitation and reconciliation after the armed conflict in 1998. Its severe humanitarian, economic, political and social consequences are still palpable today. Key facts and figures1 Total population (2015 est.) 1,771,604 % population by gender (2015 est.) 50.2% female, 49.8% male % population aged 15-29 years old 27.5% (2011) Main ethnic groups (2011) Albanian (91%), Serbian (3.4%), Other (5.6 %, Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian, Turkish) Main languages Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish % population living in rural areas 61.7%. (2011) Average life expectancy (2011) 79.4 years for women, 74.1 years for men GDP per capita (2014) € 3,084 Human Development Index 2015 0.739 Unemployment rate (2015) 32.9% Illiteracy rate for population aged 15 6.1% years and older (2015) % population living in poverty (2011) 29.7 % % population living in extreme poverty 10.2% (2011) Administrative divisions 7 regions/districts and 38 municipalities Legal age of marriage 18 years old, dropping to 16 years