The director of the Bosnian women’s rights organization “Medica Zenica,” Sabiha Husiq, has called for no time limit to be imposed for applying for the status of victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo. She emphasized that it is crucial for victims to be able to testify whenever they feel ready and for the perpetrators of these crimes to be held accountable, regardless of how much time has passed.
The government of Kosovo should follow the example of Bosnia and Herzegovina and not impose a time limit for applying for the status of victims of sexual violence during the war, Husiq stated, emphasizing that it is essential to create an environment where victims feel comfortable coming forward and testifying about their experiences.
“I think it is very important for the government to consider our good example regarding the deadline for applying for pensions in Kosovo. In Bosnia, there is no time limit for applying for the status of civilian war victims. This is crucial because we can never know when a survivor will feel ready to speak and apply for status, or in your case, for a pension,” Husiq declared.
She pointed out that cooperation and testimony from survivors is extremely important, adding that the perpetrators of these crimes must be punished, no matter how much time has passed since the events.
“When we talk about testimony, cooperation with survivors is very important. Every perpetrator of a crime should be punished, regardless of whether the event happened two or three decades ago. It is essential to create a good atmosphere for the survivors to give their testimonies in cooperation with all parties, NGOs, and the government or other sectors of the government,” she added.
According to reports from local institutions, around 20,000 people were sexually assaulted during the last war in Kosovo.
Since 2014, there has been a law recognizing the status of these victims, and so far, only over 2,000 have been granted this status.
Meanwhile, the outgoing government of Kosovo decided on April 14 to extend the deadline for applying for recognition of the status of persons sexually assaulted during the war in Kosovo until May 2027.
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