On 27 of May 2021, the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Division of Family and Social Services launched a set of Quality Guidelines for Shelters for victims of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.

Keynote speeches were offered by Frank Power, Head of Council of Europe Office in Pristina, Mentor Morina, Director of the Division for Social Services and Family, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Marta Becerra, Head of the Capacity Building and Co-operation Projects Unit at the Council of Europe's Gender Equality Division and Merita Limani, local Senior Project Officer. The Quality Guidelines for Shelters of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence were presented by Rosa Logar and Ariana Qosaj Mustafa, Council of Europe consultants.

The quality guidelines for shelters of violence against women and domestic violence are rooted in the Istanbul Convention and other international standards, as well as by practical experiences and good practice examples for running women’s shelters and women’s support services.

On the basis of the guidelines, the Council of Europe project will support the Ministry to train social workers and staff of shelters.

The guidelines and the trainings are part of the Council of Europe project “Reinforcing the Fight against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Kosovo*-phase II”

*All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions, or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.