On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day and the end of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”, a screening of the documentary “Not Your Property” took place last night in Mitrovica North, followed by a debate on the topic of violence against women, Radio kontakt plus reports.
Within the event organized by UNMIK in the Private Cultural Centre “Akvarijus”, the audience was shown a hellish everyday life of women-victims of violence.
UNMIK’s Office of Strategic Communications and Public Relations (OSCPA) documentary shows victims of domestic violence from across Kosovo and from different communities, as well as their commitment to find inspirational solutions to combat it. Investigating the connection between violence and property rights, this film devotes special attention to customary law, which affects women’s property rights, and which puts women in a subordinate and vulnerable position.
Although the 21st century is a century of women’s rights, Ruzica Simic, director of NGO “Women’s Right” opined that the international legal framework is almost completely closed, starting with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all the way to the Istanbul Convention. She pointed out that the problem does not lie in national legislation, but in the rule of law.
“If we pass the law, we need to have mechanisms – competent, professional, capable persons to implement this law,” Simić said.
Stefan Veljkovic, executive director of YEC “Sinergija” said that in addition to women, he did not diminish the role of a men in solving this issue. He thinks that men should even be leaders in the fight for women’s rights.
Burhan Maxhuni of the Office for protection and assistance to victims said that in the nine months that this office exists, 226 cases of domestic violence have been reported, of which 223 are in the process, and in 186 cases, a court has issued a protection order.
