Domestic violence and the violation of the rights of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities is driving young people in the country to activism. Those who belong to these three communities, through their voice, are committed to make these phenomena disappear. Even though they were once discriminated at school and in society, the young women from Kosovo have decided to work against the violation of the rights of women belonging to the communities, through voluntary work.
Mergita Hoti is an official for gender equality in the organization “Roma in Action”, in Gjakova. For nine years she has been working for the women of the communities to be equal.
“When I started to participate in the organization “Roma in Action”, as a volunteer or as part of the organization, it was somewhere around 2014-2015, which is now almost nine years since I have been part of the organization. I started with the aim to be a supportive part of the members of the communities in general, the three communities, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian. Despite the fact that the organization is more related to the Roma community, we are for all three communities… We had about three projects that were related to gender equality, where we invited the main actors, who lectured on the women of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, about what gender equality is and how we should fight for their rights as women… Compared to previous years, the number is more satisfactory, the girls’ confidence in general. But in the communities, it is noted that it has improved significantly”, she said.
Recently, she is also engaged in the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”, where she indicates that the women of the communities will be included in the meetings.
“These days we are preparing the project, which is for 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, where we will do some activities with the women of the communities in general. Two different meetings will be held in the neighborhoods where there are women from the communities, where the main actors will be, who will explain what gender equality is… Also, we will hold a round table where different people will be invited, but also members of the Municipality of Gjakova, where they will inform the girls of the communities even more about how they should be part of the decision-making and everything that it’s in their best interest as part of the communities”, she said.
Her desire, for which she raises her voice every day, is that other young women also enjoy their rights.
“I want and need to see the girls of the communities achieving more than they should and to reach their goal in life. Otherwise, fight for your rights and fight for what you love, because we can all succeed. Not only the other communities, but also the communities that are Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian”, she said.
Three years ago, Shyret Hoxhaj started participating in various activities against domestic violence. The activist from Prizren, who is part of the “Durmish Aslano” organization, says that she is always committed to a better life for her peers.
“I have joined civil society or non-governmental organizations in Prizren since 2020, through ‘16 days against violence’. There I started holding sessions, holding the trainings, and thus until now in 2023, I have participated in many organizations of the Municipality of Prizren. I advocated for the rights of young people, for the rights of girls and women. In particular, I advocated for the rights of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. From the beginning, I was part of Albanian non-governmental organizations, but then I also joined Roma non-governmental organizations”, she said.
The most distinguished activist in Prizren during the past year, Shyret Hoxhaj, who herself is a member of the Roma community, has faced prejudices on the street, at school and everywhere.
“For a long time, there have been incentives to change Prizren, and also Kosovo, for whatever it is good. Whether for women’s rights, or the rights of young people to advocate and achieve a better standard of life in Kosovo… I have not had prejudices or challenges as a volunteer, but prejudices as a Roma community, as a young girl, I have faced in schools or even on the street… Organizations in Prizren always have a space that they offer to the girls of the Roma community, or to all the girls of the communities. “Organizations have always been open and accepted activists, you just need to have free will”, she said.
Although young people are ready for voluntary work, she says that they are not motivated to do such a thing.
“If we look at volunteerism in Kosovo, we see that it fades year after year. This is because volunteers do not even understand the exact notion of what volunteering means. However, it is also the case that they do not have a motive because they do not receive any benefits, either through financial means or something else. We have also submitted requests to the municipality to have a card that identifies someone as a volunteer of Prizren. But due to the changes that the ministry must make in order to accept these conditions, it has not been implemented until now”, she said.
For 15 years now, the “Sakuntala” organization has been focusing on activities for the youth of the communities, says Indira Elshani.
“The purpose of activities with young people has been volunteering, and then there is the field of education that we usually give priority to in non-majority communities. Then there were the projects that had to do with human rights, focusing on the rights of non-majority communities, with the aim of preventing or reducing prejudices and stereotypes… We have the cases that happened and we are the ones who we try to mitigate these phenomena”, she concludes.
As she mentions cases of discrimination against young people at school, cafeteria and other places, she says that they work so that not a single case is repeated.
The project “Media education against disinformation for non-majority communities in Kosovo” is supported by the US Embassy in Prishtina.
