High degree of sexual harassment at Kosovo workplace

No one has accurate data on the degree of sexual harassment in Kosovo, but in a review of assessments from the Office for Good Governance that operates within the prime minister's office, over 48 percent of citizens in Kosovo have reportedly experienced some form of sexual harassment at the workplace throughout their lives. Most of them, or over 64 percent, are women.

These data are part of the guidance for implementation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy in Public Administration, which was published Monday by the Office for Good Governance.

The chief of this office, Habit Hajredini, said the guide is part of the activities aimed at raising the level of awareness of central and local institutions about implementing the government-endorsed Anti-Sexual Charge Policy in 2020.

To inform, awareness institutions at the central and local level, and of course we will do that with our partners, with civil society. It is also the obligation behind politics to work on building capacities with various training capacities of responsible officials and at the same time creating appropriate structures or mechanisms that will deal with preventing and fighting sexual harassment in public administration”, Mr. Hajredini said.

The guide shows that meetings with municipal officials in all areas of Kosovo have testified for lack of knowledge of the Anti-Sexual Action Policy, as well as insufficient efforts to implement it.

Mark Lasser, head of the law and justice section at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, with the support of which the guide has been drafted, warned of the low degree of sexual harassment reporting.

“This does not mean that there are no cases of sexual harassment, that means either people are not aware of this phenomenon or concerned by revenge like losing their place of work, they decide not to report sexual harassment”, he said.

Luljeta Demoli from the Kosovo Centre for Gender Studies said that sexual harassment in Kosovo connects with hierarchical roles in institutions.

“Employers at the workplace usually hold high positions in Kosovo and use the authority for decision-making on aspects that have significant impact on employed careers, or want to exercise control and power over the victim. On the other hand, victims in Kosovo are typical without power, without decision-making, vulnerable and insecure positions, and in low positions often without labour contracts”, she said.

Mrs. Demolli stressed that the guide published today will also help address this phenomenon in the private sector, where it is widespread.

According to a study published this year by the Kosovo Centre for Gender Studies, 64 percent of women employed in the private sector in the country believe that sexual harassment is present in this sector, but only 10 percent say to have experienced this type of harassment.

The study shows that in over 65 percent of nonreporting cases are due to fear of negative family consequences and fear of loss of employment. / VOA