Everything Jahjaga said in the UN KSʹ about the survivors of sexual violence

Jahjaga, yesterday had the chance to be their voice in the United Nations, in the event of high-level vows on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1325.

She has suggested that Kosovo has taken a step further towards integration of Resolution 1325, including it as a specific pillar in the Gender Equality Action Plan 2019-2022.

“The war has destroyed the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and has been tasked by a million citizens to flee their homes. More than 13,000 civilians have been killed, 1,647 are still missing, and approximately 20,000 women and men have experienced sexual violence as a tool of war. To us as institutions, it has taken close to 17 years to offer a form of compensation for survivors of sexual violence during the war. Women activists were loud. They fought the silence and social stigma of this inhuman crime. However, it was a long way towards legal recognition of this terrible crime which is unfortunately not recognised by the state that committed it”, she said among other things in her speech.

“I welcomed the UN Secretary General's annual report on sexual violence in the conflict. But I must admit that I am very concerned to see how the difficult situation of the survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, as well as Kosovo's progress in providing individual compensation for this category of war victims, is not included in the” report, she has said further.

Her full speech:

Dear delegates,
Excellent.
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a special honor to be part of this high-level discussion, especially being close to marking the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1325. Today, as we proudly share all our achievements in this area, we must together, as states of the world, recognize that our purpose has not yet been achieved.

Why is it important that we still talk about women, peace, and security? Because most of the challenges still stand. Women continue to be the main license plates of war. Their bodies still turn into battlefields. They still carry the heavy burden of war because they have the primary responsibility of caring for children, the elderly, and others during the war. And in the post-conflict period, the role of women is overlooked. They remain out of the process for peace-building, no voice or presence at the negotiating table. In the Kosovo war, 73% of women have been affected by conflict, but still, they have remained out of state-building and peace building processes.

Anyway, I'm happy to share with you that we've worked toward change.

As a state aspiring to membership in the United Nations, Kosovo has adopted the National Action Plan to implement Resolution 1325. 90% of the plan has been implemented. Now, Kosovo has taken a step further towards integration of Resolution 1325, including it as a specific pillar in the Gender Equality Action Plan 2019-2022. This new practice should serve as a good model.

Dear delegates,

This year, Kosovo marks the 20th anniversary of the end of the war in Kosovo. The war has destroyed the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and has been tasked by a million citizens to flee their homes. More than 13,000 civilians have been killed, 1,647 are still missing, and approximately 20,000 women and men have experienced sexual violence as a tool of war.

To us as institutions, it has taken close to 17 years to offer a form of compensation for survivors of sexual violence during the war. Women activists were loud. They fought the silence and social stigma of this inhuman crime. However, it was a long way towards legal recognition of this terrible crime which is unfortunately not recognised by the state that committed it.

Last year, with support from UN Women, Kosovo has established the government commission for recognition and verification of the status of persons violated during the war in Kosovo, which offers individual compensation. This approach is opening new ways in this area, showing the world that when institutions and society get together, progress can be achieved. On the other hand, it has also shown us that combating stigma and fighting for justice are not won overnight. Change takes time, vision, and unity. Here we need your support.

I welcomed the UN Secretary General's annual report on sexual violence in the conflict. But I must admit that I am very concerned to see how the difficult situation of survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, as well as Kosovo's progress in providing individual compensation to this category of war victims, is not included in the report.

We stand here, together, pledging to a world where the culture of impunity is not allowed, and therefore we must not allow the voices of the victims to be disfellowshipped, silenced, and ignored. We pledge that we will continue to empower the survivors of sexual violence in Kosovo, and seek justice for all of them. And we expect the UN Security Council and Secretary General to make the same vow.

Dear friends,

I have met hundreds of survivors of sexual violence in Kosovo. One of them is here with me. They want justice. Let's not fail them again.

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