Financial problems in shelters of violence victims require budget

Although 50 percent of their expenses are covered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Management in the form of grants, and the rest of the municipalities, such financial governance has resulted in unsuccessful.

Adelina Berisha, a researcher from the Kosovo Women's Group Network, has told Koha.net that it is constitutional duty to establish a special budget line for shelters. According to her, shelters experience different challenges regarding their financial sustainability, as by this year their financial sustainability has been unstable.

From this year's “, following the Kosovo Women's Network Avocation, a separate line has been established through which they will be financially supported. This budget has not yet been split, but the Ministry of Labour and Social Management are committed to achieving this support, since the demand for housing support is constitutional obligation”, she has said.

Family Violence Co-ordinator Naim Celaj, who is at the same time deputy justice minister, has told Koha portal.net that the current way of funding housing has not proved effective, with such a way of funding under him will be changed through changing the law.

The government through the Ministry of Labour and Social Management supports the financing of housing through grants for non-profit organisations, so that each year it covers 50% of the housing needs that are licensed by this ministry. The rest are covered by support given by municipalities. This year we believe housing financing will be resolved through legal changes”, he has declared.

Time. We have contacted the O office. The SEU in Kosovo, who have said shelters should be accepted as part of the justice system rather than functioning only as NGOs.

“Based on the analysis of the legal and institutional framework and interviews with the heads of eight shelters, it is undeniable that they continue to have a number of serious challenges that hinder the functioning of shelters. The housing legislation must also be harmonised, and they should be accepted as part of the justice system, not only as bidders of NGO status services”, they say, in their response.

They have already stressed that within these houses there must be training so that victims of violence can integrate.

“More specialized training should be provided for housing personnel and victims living in shelters. For example, shelters for victims of domestic violence, which are responsible for rehabilitation and reintegration of victims in society, have problems with financial sustainability and are continuing to contribute to the involvement of a special budgetary line for financing housing on three-year-old bases, in line with their licensing process. Early in 2019, the shelter in South Mitrovica was forced to close and carry at least four victims in the Pristina shelter of”, said their response.

Meanwhile, Zana Hamiti, director of the Centre for the Protection of Women and Children in Pristina, has said the Ministry of Labour and Social Management does not cover 100% of the needs of the centre until it stressed that the state has not taken care of integrating victims of violence.

“Support from the Ministry does not cover 100% needs, but other expenditures are provided by donors. We've sought support from the central level by 100%, but this year we've benefited 70% of total expenditures from MPMS. The state would need victims of violence to have economic empowerment and to benefit social residences in order to be independent and continue to live without violence, away from violators”, she has said.

During 2018, 1,314 cases of domestic violence have been recorded, of which 626 led to the issue of defense orders. According to victims' advocates, the number of reported cases has increased, which could be a sign that victims have more trust in public institutions.

According to statistics by the Ministry of Labour and Social Management, during 2018, 454 people have been sheltered in Kosovo's shelters. Of them 212 are children, 243 adults. 333 are women and girls and 96 men. According to citizenship 448 are locals and eight foreigners. By nationality 408 Albanians, 33 RAE, 4 Bosniaks, 1 Turk, 2 Germans and 1 Slovak.

Meanwhile, according to information received by the Ministry of Labour and Social Management in Kosovo, housing exists in 8 municipalities like: Pristina, Gjakova, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Mitrovica, Peja and Novoberda.