“Shutting down home and economic uncertainty, family violence factors”

All data from Kosovo institutions shows that there are increasing cases of domestic violence in recent months. So says in an interview for Radio Free Europe, UN Women Kosovo Director Vlora Tuzi-Nushi.

She points out that, along with the Ministry of Justice, the Kosovo Police and other institutions, and the UN agencies' families are providing support to those affected by violence.

Radio Free Europe: Mrs Tuzi-Nushi, domestic violence cases reportedly have marked increases in recent months. What are your records?

Vlora Tuzi-Nushi: UN Women, as well as all institutions, is based on the data we receive from the Kosovo Police, since we now have a 20-year partnership with the Kosovo Police, especially in the construction of capacities, with particular emphasis on domestic violence, sexual violence during the war and others. We are constantly in touch and take the data from them to also get access to analysis and reporting, which then we prepare for Kosovo and which also serve for regional and global reports. In the last three months, as you said, we do not know whether this is because of COVIDD-19, but because global practices have shown there is a rise in violence by 30 percent. Apparently this trend is being forwarded to Kosovo. From police data, the first quarter of 2019, compared to the first three months of 2020, there is an increase of 98 cases. But what we're afraid of is that women and girls who are locked up on four walls of the house with the abuser are thinking that institutions have other priorities such as health, such as the situation of the crisis during pandemic and others, and may think they won't get the urgent answer if they are victims of domestic violence.

The growth of these cases is being linked to the measure of stay at home, the isolation...

Vlora Tuzi-Nushi: Economic uncertainty actually, knowing that I don't know how we're all going to get out of this situation. and especially economically, then closing schools, closing in at home, of course increasing stress for each of us. And knowing also of the previous pandemics that have erupted in other countries, there has always been an increase in domestic violence even after pandemic, women and girls except during the pandemic even after pandemic are always more hit, because economic poverty also affects them more than most. In most cases, sexual explosion and other forms of abuse and profit from women and girls have occurred. Therefore, we, like UN Women, are taking all measures that in addition to the emergency situation we are in, in close co-ordination with the Ministry of Justice, the Kosovo Police and other institutions, but along with the United Nations families to be ready to provide our support, our assistance to the shelters, and that they be willing to accept more cases in case there is an increase. But, at the same time, we're in the process of drafting a help framework in some areas so that even after COVID, even after pandemic, it's easier to reintegration and have more support for women and girls, especially in economic terms.

What is your help now that you offer to victims of domestic violence?

Vlora Tuzi-Nushi: A few days ago, together with the United Nations agencies, we drafted an essential list accepted from the shelters, in close co-ordination with the Ministry of Justice. It means, it includes food and hygiene, clothing, and technological equipment for children to convey online instruction. Technical and hygienic equipment has already been provided and part of them are being distributed. Then, along with the Ministry of Health and United Nations Population Fund [ U n The NFPA has been provided an emergency dormitory for cases of violence that have to be passed into the quarantine phase, and even there we are currently providing essential things together with clothing and sheets so that they are ready for the admission of cases. So this is the emergency aid we're offering. Also with the Ministry of Justice on the basis of UN Women's expertise, we are supporting the drafting of the emergency protocol to accept domestic violence cases so that they do not go or waste time under the existing protocol, in the event there is even greater increase in reporting cases of domestic violence, and others. This is what we've done in the first phase, which is primarily to provide shelters with everything they need in case there is a significant rise in domestic violence cases.

It has often been heard these days that the popular call “Rri home” is not the solution for victims of violence. What is the solution for them, specifically what should the State do?

Vlora Tuzi-Nushi: Yeah, so that's the purpose of the campaign that we started a few days ago, that simply through the top institutional leaders, thanks to the prime minister, the minister of justice, the minister of health and the minister of Internal Affairs. They have come up with video messages inviting survivors of violence to report (cases) and convince them that institutions are functioning normally, as in normal conditions, and that any call for assistance will be answered. The minister of justice in her message also says that despite the pandemic period, even violators will be punished.

So for us, this was also the main purpose of the campaign that institutions themselves -- those who offer services to citizens -- actually deliver messages that they think cannot be answered. So just to convince them that if they're in trouble and if they need help, they call in three numbers that are available 24 hours, seven days a week to accept the calls.

In fact, domestic violence, in Kosovo, has been conveyed many times even with debate over the lack of reaction by authorities. What do you think is the problem?

Vlora Tuzi-Nushi: There are always different perceptions, depending on which perspective you see. I think there are significant advances in providing emergency services to domestic violence cases. We have also contributed in order to improve this, together with the Ministry of Justice, has now developed for the first time in the region the integrated date of cases of domestic violence. It's a unique case, yet no place nearby has it, where police, social service, prosecution and trial have the same approach. It means, they place the data on a case of domestic violence, in a system and through this system, except for the victim's data, they will also track where the case is and where the case is stuck, if it has not been processed further to the trial. And we hope very much that the analysis, which has already begun the Ministry of Justice issued from the database, will have a better effect on improving domestic violence proceedings, so that as soon as they receive institutional answers.