Rushiti dedicates the price taken in the US to women raped in war

The executive director of the Kosovar Centre for Reconstruction of Survivors from Torture, Feride Rushiti, the award that has been shared by the US State Department, such as the Courageous Woman, has dedicated to all women survivors of sexual violence.

After returning from the United States, Rushiti at a media conference said she feels highly honoured for the fact that Kosovo managed to receive this award for contributing to promoting the rights of violent persons during the war.

This award, I actually dedicated to women who survived sexual violence, to all Kosovo women. I think that by chance I am one of them for the fact that Kosovo has had women who have sacrificed in building this country, have promoted the rights of different categories in Kosovo, mainly women, disabled persons, then other social movements. So the woman in Kosovo has been the foundation of state building. I have had the good luck that I've been assigned to one of them, but I think this award belongs to all Kosovo women who have fought for promoting women's rights in Kosovo”, Rushiti said.

Rushiti stressed that during his two-week stay in the US, he has made contacts with international organisations in this area so that they can bring their experience to Kosovo as well.

The “was a special experience in the fact that among the countries of the world, whether from Kazakhstan, Iraq, Italy, Africa, then other countries Guatemala and so on, Kosovo was listed with a good experience, already achieved in the area of compensation for persons of sexual violence, and from that apart from gratitude it shared us. I was able during the two-week stay there to contact relevant organisations which I think is a good experience and which can bring their experience to Kosovo, for the fact that Kosovo is slightly isolated from general developments”, she stressed.

This award, according to Rushiti, shows that Kosovo is on a good track to promote gender equality.

And we can freely say that it is a good movement and a good practice that can be useful in other parts of the world. Clearly, giving this prize puts us under great responsibility. In addition to material compensation, these women have other needs, they need access to justice, economic empowerment, the removal of stigma in society. Therefore, it motivates us as an organisation, I personally, but also the Kosovo women to do even further under the promotion of the agenda for gender equality”, Rushiti said.

This award is shared by the U.S. State Department, for women who have witnessed extraordinary leadership and courage in the prosecution of peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and empowerment of women. Rushiti is the third female from Kosovo to receive this award, after Valdete Idriz and Arbana Xharras.