As part of a consortium led by DAI Global Austria Gmbh & Co. KG, Coram International is currently working on behalf of the European Union’s Office in Kosovo to strengthen the capacity of the Ombudsperson’s Institution in Kosovo and to increase its impact and effectiveness in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. In particular, our team has been tasked with developing a permanent programme on children’s rights in Kosovo, including the development of educational and awareness raising materials targeted at children and young people which explain their rights and the support offered by the Ombudsperson’s Child Rights Department in investigating violations of those rights. Once complete the child rights educational programme will be delivered by members of the national and regional Ombudsperson’s Offices in Schools across Kosovo, with the aim of better educating children about their rights and avenues for redress when their rights are violated.
Coram International was contracted by UNICEF Kosovo to assess the development and implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan on Children’s Rights 2009-2013. The assessment included an analysis of the process of development and the implementation of the plan including the relevance, effectiveness, impact, ownership and sustainability of the plan. Information was collected through desk review, interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders and was used to draw out lessons learned and recommendations to inform the development of the consecutive strategy.
In 2007-2008, Coram International carried out an assessment of the juvenile justice system and made recommendations for reform. As a follow up to the recommendations, Coram International was invited by UNICEF Kosovo to provide a training of trainers for police cadet trainers on dealing with children in contact with the law (including child offenders, victims and witnesses). Coram International was later asked to provide technical assistance to the Government to draft guidelines to ensure the implementation of obligations set out in the Juvenile Justice Code. In order to consolidate the effect of these guidelines, Coram International provided training to social workers and local officials on working with children within the justice system.
In 1998-1999, Representatives of the Children and Armed Conflict Unit (a joint initiative between Coram International and the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex) carried out a child rights situational analysis in Kosovo. The field assessments highlighted the general gap in knowledge about protecting children in the context of conflict and emergency, and the need to build capacity of local civil society on these issues.