Back PECK II supports the Kosovo* Anti-Corruption Agency to foster the protection of whistleblowers

PECK II supports the Kosovo* Anti-Corruption Agency to foster the protection of whistleblowers

On 10-13 February 2020, in Pristina, Kosovo, the staff of the Anti-Corruption Agency benefited from expert advice and mentoring, provided by PECK II, on the protection of whistleblowers. The activity had two objectives: to develop the skills and capacities of the staff of Division on Protection of Whistleblowers of the Anti-Corruption Agency; and to discuss recommendations on the draft Regulation on receiving and dealing with whistleblowing reports. This provided the Agency’s staff with the opportunity to learn from good European and international practices on handling whistleblowing reports, appropriate strategies for communication with whistleblowers, and managing whistleblowers expectations. .......

As a result of the activity, various tailor-made tools necessary for proper handling of whistleblowing reports were developed jointly by the PECK II expert and the KAA staff. One of these tools is a user-friendly explanation of the Law on Protection of Whistleblowers that can be used in the website and in promotion materials, as well as guidance and instructions for individuals to raise concerns.

To advance the implementation of the Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers, participants discussed the provisions of the Regulation on receiving and dealing with whistleblowing reports in the public sector. As a next step, it was noted that the current context and institutional set up in Kosovo is complex and it thus requires further consultations and agreement with a wider group of stakeholders. The recommendations provided by the Project in line with the Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2014)7 on the Protection of Whistleblowers will facilitate the advancement of the drafting process and contribute to the enhancement of this new institution in Kosovo.

 

 

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*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Pristina 10-13 February 2020
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Fifty practitioners to enhance skills in provision of occupational therapy

Following the adoption of the Guidelines for Occupational Therapy (OT), as well as the Training of Trainers (ToT) on OT that took place in January 2024, three 2-day cascade training sessions were organised in the course of February and March 2024.  Fifty professionals, mainly from the Prison Health Department, along with representatives from the Correctional Services, Institute for Forensic Psychiatry, and the Special Institute for Persons with Mental and Physical Disabilities, were trained on this important form of therapy.

To complement the theoretical aspects and provide the trainees with practical knowledge, some of the sessions were conducted in the Dubrava Prison, in a section which houses prisoners with both mental and somatic problems. This on-site training allowed the participants to observe and understand the application of OT principles in a real-life setting, thus enhancing their learning experience by connecting theory and practice.

These cascade training sessions allowed the participants to further improve their skills in applying the OT Guidelines and tools in prisons and other closed institutions, a concept which was thus far not utilised in a structured manner. Furthermore, training healthcare and correctional professionals together helps them further strengthen the inter-institutional cooperation in the treatment and rehabilitation of some of the most vulnerable members of the society.

Each of these sessions were facilitated by two trainers who had participated in the ToT in January and were supervised and mentored by a Council of Europe consultant who has been involved in the process since the very beginning, thus further strengthening institutional capacity to provide training.

The activity was conducted under the auspices of the Council of Europe project “Improvement of the treatment of persons deprived of liberty”.

 

 

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

Istog/ Istok 26 March 2024
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