The suppression of dissenting opinions, the escalation of armed conflicts, inadequate efforts to address the climate crisis, and increasing global backlash against the rights of migrants, refugees, women, girls, and LGBTI individuals are key issues raised in Amnesty International’s annual human rights report, published on April 29.
“Each of these issues is on track to worsen further in a turbulent year like 2025 unless a global course correction is made,” Amnesty International (AI) stated.
The annual report which assesses how well human rights are being upheld around the world noted Kosovo’s failure to pass the Law on Assisted Fertilization and Reproductive Health (IVF) and the Civil Code.
“Access to IVF remained available only in private clinics, following yet another failed attempt in Parliament to pass a reproductive health law that would allow IVF services in public hospitals,” the report stated.
The debate in Parliament was also marked by “misinformation and hate speech toward single women by some MPs,” the report added.
Several members of Parliament opposed the law, citing their belief that it protects the “institution of the family,” and arguing that IVF should only be an option for married heterosexual couples.
These same MPs — along with others — also opposed the adoption of the Civil Code in the Assembly of Kosovo, which has not been submitted for approval since 2022.
Parliamentary disagreements focused on an article that would enable the drafting of a special law to allow the registration of “civil unions” between same-gender partners.
In addition to the failure to pass the Civil Code, Amnesty International noted that survivors of domestic violence from the LGBTI+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, etc.) still lack access to specialized shelters.
The section on Kosovo also highlights other challenges, such as the country’s unsuccessful bid to join the Council of Europe, ongoing efforts to investigate and prosecute war crimes, the passage of the Law on the Independent Media Commission which was overturned last week by the Constitutional Court — and the agreement with Denmark to house prisoners in Kosovo.
