On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Kosovo honored the memory and resilience of those who suffered sexual violence during the 1998–99 war, highlighting the ongoing need for justice and recognition.
Acting Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, emphasized that the Government of Kosovo has taken concrete steps to address war crimes, including the establishment of the Institute for War Crimes and the strengthening of the Special Prosecutor’s Office.
“This is a grave crime—used as a weapon of war by Serbia. According to both local and international reports, around 20,000 individuals were sexually assaulted during the war in Kosovo. Since the beginning of our mandate, the government has taken concrete actions to address war crimes. We established the Institute for War Crimes, which will document and identify all crimes committed in Kosovo. We enabled the approval of the Transitional Justice Strategy,” said Haxhiu.
She added that both men and women were victims of sexual violence during the war, and the government has increased the capacity of the Special Prosecutor’s Office to pursue these cases, including enabling trials in absentia, since Serbia refuses to extradite war criminals.
“This new legal provision is already being implemented. We now have court decisions against individuals who raped women, girls, men, boys, and children during the war,” she stated.
Edi Gusia, Chief Executive of the Agency for Gender Equality, underlined the importance of this day for national and global awareness.
“Today, together with all citizens of Kosovo, we mark the International Day for the Survivors of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Kosovo offers a special contribution to this day. It is a time when we collectively honor the memory of what happened in Kosovo. Over 1,700 individuals have officially been recognized as survivors,” said Gusia.
She called on world leaders to act:
“We raise our voices for all sexual violence being used as a weapon of war across conflict zones worldwide. We call on all global leaders to commit to ending sexual violence as a weapon of war.”
