Haradinaj's letter: Children are drowning, Government Must Be Alarmed

KOMF represents 27 nongovernmental organisations in the area of protecting children's rights, led by the mission to protect children's rights

The following is the complete letter:

Dear Prime Minister,

The NGO's Coalition for Child Protection KOMF, which represents 27 non-government organisations in the field of child rights protection, led by the mission to protect children's rights and is driven by the recent cases of unprecedented violence that have resulted and the loss of children's lives, requires you as the country's prime minister to raise attention to these events and child safety, and at the same time address the children's absolute priority and child protection in Kosovo under your rule.

Children in the Republic of Kosovo make up 30% of the general population. Children are facing difficult situations, dangers, violence, threats, and threats to their safety, with cases ending fatally to murder as a result. The recent cases of the loss of the lives of children who rocked all opinion by the high degree of domestic violence, peer violence, the use of weapons, child suicides, should be an alarm for government, institutions, families, and all society.

The data speaks of high levels of domestic violence, where 61.4 percent of children by the age of 14 have claimed to have suffered psychological and physical violence. 10.7 per cent of children in Kosovo are involved in work, while 6.8 per cent of children work in dangerous conditions. Government and nongovernmental reports indicate the increase in children's involvement in behavior that conflicts with law, including violence, whose consequences in some cases have been fatal to children themselves. During 2016 alone, 1159 measures and alternative sentences against minors in conflict with the law have been pronounced.

This situation requires taking immediate measures for child safety and protection.

In view of the lack of effective prevention and protection measures for the protection and security of children in Kosovo, we urge you, Prime Minister, as well as the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, to take urgent institutional measures to boost child safety and protection.

On behalf of constitutional responsibilities, such as the country's prime minister and government leader, you can do this through:

The early approval of the Children's Protection Bill as well as the forecast and allocation of the budget needed for the Child Protection Bill, including the definition of the cost of services, human resources for law enforcement, so that this law can find effective implementation and impact the protection and well-being of children in the Republic of Kosovo.

The creation of a specific grant for social services under Law No. 03 L-049 for Local Power Finances ) LFPL (which is in the process of completing the change), granting that would have a direct impact on raising child protection.

We suggest that the Child Protection Bill will be able to apply and influence the protection and welfare of children only if the budgetary costs necessary for its implementation are secured.

The KOMF remains open and committed to undertaking joint actions to protecting children and advancing their rights.