08 March 2007

Pristina, Kosovo: UNV volunteers and others are helping spread the word in Kosovo that International Women’s Day is an important event to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women around the globe – and an opportunity to end violence.

The volunteers are helping the United Nations Kosovo Team (UNKT) to raise awareness and enhance reflection among Kosovars on women’s situation through a thought-provoking leaflet entitled “Is it all about buying flowers?”.

The United Nations is using March 8, 2007 as an opportunity to focus attention on violence against women and girls and to consider concrete measures to end this problem. In support, the UNKT developed the leaflet to encourage community-wide reflection.

UNV volunteers are distributing the leaflet in the Serbian areas of Graçanica, Çagllavica, Kufce and Mitrovica (north). The main Kosovar newspapers will also publish the UNKT leaflet, and volunteers in the Kosovo Youth Network will distribute it in Pristina, Peja, Prizren, Gjilan, Ferizaj and Mitrovica.

Violence against women remains the most common but least punished crime in the world. “Eliminating violence against women remains one of the most serious and urgent challenges to empower women and ensure that they enjoy equal conditions in our society. This should happen not only on this day of the year day but everyday. Is it all about buying flowers?” said Mr Frode Mauring, UN Development Coordinator of the UNKT.

The UNKT leaflet states that “8 March is like any other day to contribute to gender equality”. 

Mr Mauring said, “eliminating violence against women remains one of the most serious and urgent challenges to empower women and ensure that they enjoy equal conditions in our society. Perpetrators must be held responsible for their actions. Failing to ensure this is intolerable. Kosovo institutions have a duty to support and sustain a political and social environment where violence against women and girls is not tolerated; where friends, family members, neighbours, men and women, all engage to stop violence and intervene to prevent perpetrators to go unpunished.”