Gjilan's wife's confession, who for many years experienced violence by her husband

On International Roma Day, the head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, has visited the Roma Community Women's Network, Ashkali and Kosovo Egypt ( S. O GRAEK). She has heard the confession of a Roma woman, the victim of domestic violence, and a girl with special needs, where she was deprived of the right to participate in projects in her school. Apostolova, among other things, has promised support from the EU so that young Roma girls can be educated.

Florije Mumin, from the municipality of Gjilan for many years, was the victim of domestic violence. She experienced violence from her husband.

Mumini says that during this time, she never felt like living.

“I thought I was born to have such a destiny. I thought I had luck like all the other girls in the Roma community even though I married with love, that person. And I thought about how a woman should wash, clean, cook at home. My life was to serve others. And I didn't feel that I was alive and that I was human and that I had to endure all that... After a while I began to understand things differently, I began to feel stronger and that I am not alone in this society”, she said.

She says she met Hope Agush, executive director of RO one day GRAEK, who had convinced her to report the violence she was experiencing, despite being a Roma woman.

However, despite the economic difficulties she now has, she says, is very happy that she has been able to prevent the violence that had been practiced for years.

And Elza Boyka tells her story, how she has been mistreated just because she is disabled.

I've been mistreated for the fact that I'm with special needs, and for the fact that I've always been part of the class, but it wasn't just part of the class that I'm not con different. Even in the projects they developed, he didn't allow me to participate in any project and they said, "No, you can't just walk away from me just because I'm different from those”," Boyka said.

She claims that she has always been willing to contribute but that such an opportunity has never met them.

These stories they have shared before EU chief Nataliya Apostolova in Kosovo.

The latter has motivated all women to prevent violence from being tolerated.

“Family violence should never be tolerated, it is a problem not only in Kosovo society, but also a widespread phenomenon worldwide. And it's very true that the most vulnerable groups are the victims of these crimes. It takes great courage to discuss such matters. With courage and encouragement to speak out about such matters, we encourage other women to do the same. That's why I'm here with you, I'm here to congratulate you on your bravery and talk to you. But this is not all the fight against these phenomena should also be a war that must be fought by justice, by what politics should be built, and by police”, she said.

Apostolva promised that the EU would continue to support and that young Roma girls be educated.

The executive director of this network, Hope Agushi, has told about the community situation at the time he started working.

“We have increased the number of reports, because the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, by the time we started to know what domestic violence is, they didn't actually know what it is. And abuses or psychic beatings, or economics, all of these that were part of the violence, they claimed that normal parts, as part of life. Now especially youth, because we work with women as well as men and students. The community's young are about changes, are about to have as little domestic violence as possible, are willing to abort and report so that domestic violence can gradually be reduced. Because it can't just disappear”, she said.

Otherwise, the International Day of Roma is a celebration of Roma history, traditions and culture, as well as calls for social involvement. This day also aims to raise awareness of the challenges facing the Roma community worldwide.