IOM KOSOVO NEWSLETTER QUARTERLY EDITION JANUARY MARCH 2018

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1 IOM KOSOVO NEWSLETTER QUARTERLY EDITION JANUARY MARCH 2018 EU RRK V STARTS CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES UNDER THE PHASE V OF PROJECT The end of March marked initiation of the EU Return and Reintegration in Kosovo phase V (EU-RRK V) project, that supported construction of the first 16 houses in the municipalities of Istog/Istok and Fushë Kosova/Kosovo Polje. Families benefitting the assistance include 8 Serbian, 7 Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian (RAE) families, whereas one family belongs to the Bosnian community. Through the assistance offered by the project, these families were finally able to end their long and difficult stay in the displacement be it in Serbia, Montenegro or FYROM and will soon move in to their newly reconstructed houses. EU-RRK phase V started its implementation in November 2017, and until the end of the project, respectively until May 2021, it is foreseen to support up to 400 displaced families. The project aims to create the conditions for minorities that are displaced both within and outside Kosovo as a result of 1999 conflict, in order to reintegrate them into the Kosovar society. EU-RRK V project is financed by the EU Office in Kosovo and cofinanced by the Ministry of Communities and Returns, and implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM) and is being implemented in 11 Kosovo municipalities. The project strives to help internally displaced persons to return and provide for them long term solution in housing and income generation activities. 1

2 PREVENTION OF VIOLENT EXTREMISM (PVE) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IOM Kosovo engaged in a series of activities within the Community-based Approaches to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism project ranging from extra-curricular activities to critical thinking workshop and youth initiatives for positive changes within their communities. Extra-curricular activities for youth engagement in targeted communities in Kosovo have been conducted mainly at the primary schools in local communities in Prishtina, Kodra e Trimave/Vranjevc neighborhood and in North Mitrovica. 350 pupils and teachers have participated in arts, crafts and design activities, as well as knowledge quiz based on the school curriculum. One IC-thinking workshop using the University of Cambridge Integrative Complexity (IC) thinking approach was held during the period 1st -4th of March 2018, and was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Community dialogues and support to youth were held in Pristina, Mitrovica South and Mitrovica North, where more than 50 youth participated in designing and implementing youth-driven community initiatives for positive change. In addition to the activities and workshops, IOM Kosovo has attended monthly meetings with all relevant stakeholders in Kosovo, including governmental, international and local actors. These forums have served as an excellent platform for disseminating all relevant project information and results, as well as for sharing lessons learned and exploring first hand priorities for future PVE interventions in the targeted communities as well as Kosovo-wide. 2

3 Regional Project Activities - Enhancing IOM KOSOVO May, 2018 Capacities and Mechanisms to Identify and Protect Vulnerable Migrants in the Western Balkans In the light of implementation of phase II of the project: "Enhancing Capacities and Mechanisms to Identify and Protect Vulnerable Migrants in the Western Balkans financed by the U.S. Department of State- Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and the project: Strengthening cross-border cooperation along the Western Balkan route (CROBOWEB) funded by INLthe U.S. State Secretariat's Program, International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized Joint Coordination Meeting of Heads of Border Police on 6th of March 2018 in Budva, Montenegro. The meeting incorporated Heads of Border Police in the Western Balkans region and delegated representatives. All the delegations presented the current situation in the respective countries and discussed on the migration management in crisis situation. Meeting produced outcome where delegations of Albania, Kosovo* (UNSCR 1244) and Montenegro signed Rules of Procedure for Joint Police Cooperation Centre in Plav, Monenegro. PROMOTING SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND RECONSILIATION IN KOSOVO Road in the length of 400m leading to Orthodox Monastery in Budisavce village in Klina Municipality was constructed as a joint effort of British Embassy, Ministry for Communities and Return, Kosovo Security Forces, Municipality of Klina and IOM. Project was funded by the British Embassy in Pristina and MCR and implementation performed by KSF and IOM contractor. Beside the fact that road constructed avails better access for citizens to an old Monastery it is also worth to mention that Involvement of Kosovo Security Forces in project implementation created additional confidence towards citizens, especially minorities, in Kosovo Security Forces and their work 3

4 EU COMMUNITY STABILIZATION PROGRAMME PHASE III, CONTINUES SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES WITH INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS The EU-Community Stabilization Programme strives to contribute reconciliation and development of communities in Kosovo through incentives in income generation activities and infrastructure projects. In this scope EU-CSP motivated berry farmers in the Zhupa valley, municipality of Prizren to come together and thus boost agricultural production through joint action, joint purchase and sale of products, with a purpose to enhance the socioeconomic development of the region. In the village of Pllanjane/Planjane, the Cooperative Red Gold has developed a production business of 100 % natural jam and juices, made of berries harvested from Zhupa Valley. The EU-CSP initiated Red Gold cooperative and most farmers in the berry sectors become its member. The Red Gold already has herbs and fruit collection center, and the cooperative is covering all parts of Zhupa Valley, a part of Prizen and a part of Shterpce/Strpce. From EU-CSP III programme the cooperative has received professional equipment such as line for production of natural fruits jam and juices. The project will improve the living conditions of the entire community and will contribute to the employment of two full-time and 40 seasonal workers. The EU-Community Stabilization Programme is funded by EU, managed by EU Office in Kosovo in partnership with MCR and implemented by IOM. In January 2018, IOM Kosovo hosted students of European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratization (EMA) visiting Kosovo with study purposes. A visit that take place on 18 January 2017 to IOM was part of their Kosovo research trip within the European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratization (EMA).They were very much interested in specific post-conflict issues and human rights. They have been informed on IOM Kosovo daily activities and also briefed on migration aspects of country. The meeting was well spirited and guest students had opportunity to know closely migration situation in country and general context as well by having extended answers form IOM staff. 4

5 IOM Kosovo AVRR (Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration) Programme continues to support Kosovar returnees with return and reintegration support. Vulnerable categories are focus of the Programme and are supported in different ways. One of the categories being supported are returnees with chronical medical conditions. A four member family has been returned under conditions where the father is suffering from severe medical conditions regular dialysis treatments. IOM helped family to overcome hardship by assisting him with medication assistance and his family with reintegration assistance. Reintegration of returnees remains a challenge for Kosovo, the figures of return and are still very high and Kosovars are still ranked very high as asylum seekers. Official data published by Eurostat show off that 7610 persons originating from Kosovo applied for asylum in EU countries and UK during As result of weak health system in country many Kosovars look for health problem solutions abroad. Many of them need help to return. IOM continuous to assists this category with return and where possible with reintegration assistance as well. 5

6 IOM KOSOVO HAS MOVED TO THE NEW PREMISES Since end of February this year, IOM Kosovo has new offices. New premise is very accessible, cost effective and offers convenient working conditions. IOM Kosovo new address is: IOM KOSOVO Mission, Lidhja e Pejes Str. 177, 10000, Prishtina Contact details Phone: / 522 / 523 / 524 6