OSCE Mission’s report assesses progress and challenges in community rights protection in Kosovo

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 17 December 2015 – While positive trends continue, more efforts are needed to advance communities’ rights, concludes an OSCE Mission in Kosovo report presented today.  

The fourth edition of the Community Rights Assessment Report assesses the progress made by Kosovo institutions in respect to the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, in the areas of inter-community dialogue, security and justice, language, education, socio-economic rights and participation, returns, culture, and media.

The report notes improvements in institutions’ response to security incidents and their efforts to establish regional co-operation in order to find durable solutions for persons displaced from Kosovo, as well as in the provision of identity cards and civil registration documents in communities’ languages.

On the other hand, the report stresses some remaining challenges related to further promoting dialogue and reconciliation, limited opportunities to learn communities’ languages, and under-representation of communities in the civil service.  

“In any society it is important that all communities are able to live in a safe environment with the freedom to participate actively in public life, to be able to use their language, and to practice their culture and religion,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger.

“In order for this to happen, there is a need to map the problems and find solutions. This report does precisely that: identifies areas that require further attention of the responsible bodies,” he added.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with the protection and promotion of human rights and communities rights, as well as democratization and public safety sector development.

Full report is available at: www.osce.org/kosovo/209956