Important grants to regional safe-houses across Kosovo were presented to the shelters’ representatives at a short ceremony in UNDP House, Pristina on 5 August.

The five micro-capital grant agreements, $50,000 for each project over the period of a year, will enable the shelters to continue their advocacy for the long-term support of women throughout Kosovo. Grants were awarded to,  The Women’s Wellness Center (Peja/Pec), Liria (Gjilan/Gnjilane), Safe House (Gjakova/Djakovica),The Shelter for Women and Children Victims of Domestic Violence (Prizren), and The Centre for Protection Women and Children (Pristina).

These grants represent an important component of the work of the Women’s Safety and Security Initiative (WSSI), a programme of UNDP Kosovo, whose objective is to progressively and demonstrably improve the security of women and girls in Kosovo.  WSSI has been operational for two years, and in partnership with the Agency for Gender Equality (OPM), the Trafficking in Human Beings Investigations Section (THBS) of Kosovo Police (KP) and the Kosova Women’s Network (KWN), supports the development of an integrated, comprehensive, and sustainable response to the problem of violence against women and trafficking in human beings.

The grants will enable the shelters to increase the capacity and skills of their personnel, and to increase the scope and expertise of the services that they offer to women and children who are the victims of violence, in compliance with WSSI objectives.

This includes supporting them in their long term reintegration into society, acting as mediators between victims and their families, providing psychological help, and juridical advice.The ceremony was witnessed by representatives of the Kosovo Government, Civil Society and UNDP, UNFPA, UNIFEM and UNICEF.

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