Prizren violence victims' shelter threatens to close

The informal alliance of civil society and groups of asampistic women of Prizren, Suhareka, Dragas and Mamusha has called on local institutions to urgently find ways to secure an emergency fund for the Prizren municipality, in order to provide adequate services for the three-month period, until they find the way to create a sustainable financing mechanism.

The shelter serves the Prizren region, including the municipality of Prizren, Suareca, Dragash and Mamushha. Of all municipalities, justice bodies refer and bring women, girls, and children victims of domestic violence to receive adequate services, dating back to six months.

Such services depend strictly on financing of the shelter center. Funding until recently was from three sources: donors, MPMS and KK. In recent years donors have withdrawn, leaving financial stability to local and central government bodies. These last two have so far supported the Stream not enough through projects, and not through an institutional mechanism that provides financial stability. This insufficient financial support from local and central institutions has challenged the activities of the Stream with: 1) rationalisation of daily supply, clothing, medicine and other materials for women, girls and children victims of violence; 2) the obligation of competent and professional personnel to engage in volunteer work to provide competent professional services; and 3) the infrastructure and legal rehabilitation of the housing facility. The end of 2019 has left the Shelter without financial support, threatening to close. Through this letter, the informal alliance of civil society and women asampist groups of Prizren municipality, Suareca, Dragas and Mamsuza, express the revolt with the poor state of asylum, and call local institutions from the municipalities of the Prizren region to respect and realise basic human right, that of offering support to women, girls and children victims of family violence. Local institutions urgently need to find ways to secure an emergency housing fund so that proper services can be provided for the three-month period, until they continue to find ways to create a sustainable funding mechanism for the”, the communiqué said.

The informal coalition of civil society and groups of asampistic women of Prizren, Suhareka, Dragas and Mamusha will continue to seek accounts from institutions responsible for financing of the Stream until it has financial stability, so that the right services of victims of violence referred to by justice bodies can be provided. /Periscopi/