OSCE Mission supports Kosovo health care providers improve response to cases of domestic violence

A series of five workshops held Kosovo-wide for healthcare providers on how to identify, refer and treat victims of domestic violence, organized by the OSCE Mission, concluded on 8 May 2017. The workshops were organized jointly with the Ministry of Health and Kosovo Police, and aimed at strengthening the response of healthcare providers in domestic violence cases. 

Some 102 doctors and nurses from regional hospitals, emergency and main family health care centres, as well as representatives of the Kosovo Police Domestic Violence Unit in Pejë/Peć, Prishtinë/Priština, Prizren, Gjilan/Gnjilane and Gjakovë/Ðakovica, discussed the roles and responsibilities of health care providers in implementing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for protection from domestic violence and their legal obligations.

“Our monitoring showed that healthcare providers have not been trained in how to identify victims of domestic violence, where to refer them, and how to treat them, so we organized five workshops this year and five in 2016 to take them through the SOPs and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder in addressing cases of domestic violence,” said Valentina Bejtullahu of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

“As doctors and nurses are often the front line service providers, it is crucial that they are able to refer potential domestic violence cases to the relevant institution, namely the Kosovo Police, and issue professional medical reports that can later help victims in court proceedings. Doctors need to be aware and vigilant in recording all the signs of domestic violence,” said Bejtullahu.

Participants also discussed the implementation of agreements between the Ministry of Health and the Kosovo Shelter Coalition to protect the rights of victims; ways to improve referral mechanisms, taking into consideration possible victims’ right to confidentiality and the legal obligation to report domestic violence cases; and challenges faced by service providers who do report cases of domestic violence. The need to provide psychosocial treatment to perpetrators of domestic violence was also discussed.

The OSCE Mission is mandated with human and community rights protection and promotion, democratization and public safety sector development. It regularly monitors the implementation of the legal and policy framework on domestic violence.