Horizontal Facility III - Combating Discrimination and Hatred

Retour Strengthening anti-discrimination efforts: insights from the Ombudsperson’s annual report 2023

Vasileios GIANNIAS

modifié il y a 1 année.

Strengthening anti-discrimination efforts: insights from the Ombudsperson’s annual report 2023

The Ombudsperson Institution organised a roundtable discussion on January 28, 2024, to mark the publication of the first ever "Annual Report 2023 on the Implementation of the Law on Protection from Discrimination", which highlights critical issues such as low institutional awareness of the need to collect data and document discrimination cases, gaps in the broader system for preventing and addressing discrimination, the failure to enforce minor offense procedures for discrimination cases, and the inadequate implementation of the law by the courts. The roundtable brought together local authorities, judiciary, institutions, civil society organisations, and international organisations to reflect on the findings outlined in the report, officially submitted to the Assembly in December 2024.

During his opening remarks, Ombudsperson Mr. Qelaj underscored the lack of institutional data regarding reported discrimination cases, as a critical challenge in enforcing the Law on Protection from Discrimination. He called for strengthened institutional capacities, enhanced training for officials, and greater transparency to ensure the law’s effective implementation. Stressing the vital role of institutional collaboration, Mr. Qelaj emphasised that it is not only a constitutional obligation but also a crucial factor in combating discrimination and promoting human rights in Kosovo*.

Ms. Mary Ann Hennessey, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Pristina, congratulated on the report as a milestone in Kosovo's anti-discrimination efforts and a crucial step toward its integration to the European Union. She praised the report for laying a robust groundwork and offering recommendations to enforce the law and its implementation.

Reflecting on the broader societal impact, Ms. Eva Palatov, Deputy Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, affirmed the EU's commitment to ensuring comprehensive protection against discrimination and stressed the importance of inclusive cooperation towards EU integration.

Mr. Albert Zogaj, President of the Kosovo Judicial Council, welcomed the report's comprehensive approach, highlighting its institutional responsibilities, particularly within the judiciary, to uphold anti-discrimination laws effectively.

This initiative was organised as part of the initiative “Combating discrimination and hatred”," implemented within the joint European Union and Council of Europe joint programme "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

* 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 28 January 2025

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The action “Combating discrimination and hatred” is designed to bring forward the reforms of the human rights mechanisms at central and local levels. It further supports Kosovo*'s alignment with European standards on anti-discrimination, notably those from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and to follow up on the latest EU report on Kosovo recommendations in the area of fundamental rights.

The action builds on the results of the previous action on “Promotion of diversity and equality in Kosovo”, and is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, running from January 2023 until December 2026.

The action "Combating discrimination and hatred" aims to strengthen and support the public institutions and local actors in the field of fighting discrimination, and assist beneficiaries in the ongoing reforms in combating discrimination and hate speech, as well as protection of vulnerable groups.
The action is also raising awareness among the general population about the dangers of hate speech and how to fight it.

Main beneficiaries and end beneficiaries of the action are Office for Good Governance – Prime Minister’s Office; Ombudsperson Institution; Agency for Free Legal Aid; Agency for Civil Registration; Local communities/governments; universities and secondary schools; LGBTI population; minority population; Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the area of anti-discrimination and general public.

The action is designed along three main components:

in the field of anti-discrimination, the Office for Good Governance and the Ombudsperson Institution will be supported in implementing the anti-discrimination framework;
in the field of combating hate speech and hate crimes, notably against ethnic and sexual minorities in reinforcing the institutional and CSO responses to hatred (e.g. hate incidents protocols; data collection; investigations; detecting and combating bullying as a form of hatred);
raising awareness and reaching out to the public at the local level to promote tolerance and mutual understanding and fostering equality.

Relevant public institutions and other non-state stakeholders in Kosovo effectively implement legal and policy reforms on anti-discrimination/ hate crime/ hate speech/ racism enabling further protection of vulnerable groups and sexual minorities in line with European standards. In this context the awareness of the people living in Kosovo will be raised regarding fight against discrimination and promoting an equal and diverse society.

The total budget of the action is 450.000 Euros.

The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).

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Council of Europe Office in Pristina

Council of Europe: Inclusion and anti-discrimination

Block the Hatred Campaign

Horizontal Facility website and e-mail address

The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.

* 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".