PRISTINA, 26.03.2021 – The Project Manager at the Association of Journalists of Kosovo – AJK, Vesa Bala, together with the Head of the UN Women Office in Kosovo, Vlora Tuzi Nushi and Gender Equality Specialist, Donjeta Morina, yesterday at ATV presented the campaign “Gender Responsive Budgeting Reporting Week”.

Bala outlined some of the main activities of the campaign and its purpose.

“The campaign will last a week and is focused on the online format. Through this campaign, we are aiming to raise awareness about gender inequalities in Kosovo, and expand the knowledge of journalists on how gender inequalities can be addressed through GRB. Some of the activities are sharing the messages by representatives of various organizations, the publication of informative articles on GRB written by journalists, workshops with students of Mass Communication, etc. ”

Tuzi Nushi, in addition to the campaign, spoke about the following activities in this regard, which will be undertaken in cooperation with AJK.

“The media is one of the main pillars of good information. Together with AJK, we also discussed the implementation of a media analysis in Kosovo to document how women stand in decision-making positions. ”

Meanwhile, Morina explained the term ‘Gender Responsive Budgeting’.

“The campaign started with the aim of raising awareness not only of the media, but also of citizens and institutions regarding GRB, why it should be implemented and how, in order to achieve gender equality. GRB demands the integration of a gender perspective in all phases of planning and spending public money. ”

The campaign is being carried out in the framework of the regional project “Transformative financing for gender equality towards more transparent, inclusive and accountable governance in the Western Balkans” financed  by SIDA.

The city of Karlskoga in Sweden, in 2012 found that women crash on unpaved roads after snowfall more than men.

Karlskoga, as a place characterized by more intense snowfall, first cleared car transport routes and then sidewalks and pedestrian areas.At first glance, this does not sound like a gender-related issue. Pedestrians generally crash in snow and ice.

The data showed a gender imbalance in accidents and the answer to why this happened was simple.Swedish women tended to go from one place to another on foot and cycling while men used personal cars.The largest number of women suffering from accidents came from the fact that sidewalks were cleaned later than the main transportation routes.

Thus, the municipality decided to start cleaning the sidewalks first, before continuing with the other parts of the road.It was found that a snowy road was more dangerous for pedestrians than for vehicle drivers.

This gender perspective of doing public policy in the service of citizens is called gender mainstreaming in public policy.When public policies are designed taking into account the needs of men and women, the budget is also planned taking into account the data resulting from the gender analysis of the situation.

This is called Gender Responsive Budgeting.

The concept is complex for the sole reason that it is often misunderstood. Gender Responsive Budgeting,“is a strategy that includes gender inequalities in society. This strategy calls for the integration of a gender perspective through a budget circular; in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating public spending”.

GRB, as it is known by its acronym, strives to achieve gender equality by integrating gender analysis into how public money is spent.All this is aimed at creating a more equal society.

Law on Gender Equality in Kosovo, specifically Article 5, paragraph 1.5, defines as necessary the implementation of Gender Responsive Budgeting in all areas“as a necessary tool to guarantee that theprinciple of gender equality is respected in collecting, distribution and allocation of resources”.

It turns out that women and men and girls and boys have different needs and the state has an obligation to address them.

“Only by recognizing these needs, based on gender analysis, can the government effectively plan and address them.It should be noted that Gender Responsive Budgeting does not necessarily require a specific budget line or additional funding, but only better planning and spending of existing funding in order to meet everyone’s needs”,says Nicole Farnsworth, program director and researcher at the Kosovo Women’s Network.

Developed democracies integrate gender analysis in public policy and budget planning and Sweden is a leader in this field.On the other hand, although required by law, the implementation of this strategy in Kosovo has anunclear picture.

According to Edi Gusia, head of the Agency for Gender Equality, there is Gender Responsive Budgeting in Kosovo, but this often happens unknowingly by public officials.

“Gender Responsive Budgeting in Kosovo happens in a fragmented way; it does not happen as a unified process from beginning to the end and this has its reasons. She states that”Although the legal framework requires and obliges it, the practice of planning and implementing GRB is a fairly advanced process and Kosovo on a daily basis learns and implements GRB directly, but it happens,”.

These strategies that are an instrument of achieving an equal society from a legal perspective and the needs of men and women vary, according to gender equality expert Donjeta Morina.

“Policymakers should in principle recognize the fact that while men and women are equal, due to social and economic differences, they have special and often different needs, priorities, and interests.They should consider these specific needs and priorities at each step of drafting, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating municipal and central budgets”.

Every segment of public life that comes to mind can be planned in terms of budgeting by calculating Gender Responsive Budgeting.

“”Gender Responsive Budgeting can be implemented anywhere,” says sociologist and researcher Farnsworth. “From civil society to the private sector, everyone can do it,” she said.

And what Farnsworth means by “can be implemented anywhere”?

Here is another example from Sweden!

In the town of Kalmar in the south of the Swedish state, at night women did not use public transport because they felt insecure.Thus, through a gender analysis of this issue, it was decided that passengers should be given the right to ask the bus to stop outside the predetermined stopping points.

The two examples given in this article speak to the implementation of GRB in public policies where the needy were women.

It is not uncommon for there to be a misunderstanding about this instrument.It is often thought that Gender Responsive Budgeting means more “funds for women” and separate state budget lines for women’s rights”.

This is not the purpose of this strategy.

In a presentation given toTEDx Talks, researcher Farnsworth explains how in Kosovo there is a gender imbalance among teachers in the preschool system, where the largest percentage of teachers are women.Thus, most of the state fund goes to women and men are underrepresented.

This prevents young boys from having a role model to follow in the future and the government can take measures to stimulate men’s participation in this level of education.

Gusia emphasizes that the way gender budgeting is implemented is specific to each country and Kosovo can create its own model, adapting to cultural norms.

She states that the “States find a model of their own, and roughly that suits them best. So, there is no fixed practice or model that can be implemented in all states”, introducing the possibility of being flexible in the way gender analysis is done.

Given that the gender inequality gap in Kosovo is more burdensome for women, it can be considered that Gender Responsive Budgeting should focus more on women and girls.

“Women are under-represented in all spheres of life in Kosovo. “It automatically makes you realize that GRB is a key instrument for empowering women” says Gusia.

“In principle, the purpose of GRB is to reduce gender inequalities, the reason why GRB should focus on women and girls in Kosovo, is that they remain unrepresented, marginalized, and discriminated against in most spheres of public and private life”, states Morina.

On the other hand, despite the need to plan and implement the budget addressing the needs of women and men, Kosovo does not have a professionally trained public administration to do so.

“Our schooling, formal-professional education is not that it prepares students for drafting public policies with a gender perspective”, highlights the problem Gusia.

However, she adds that with the initiative of the agency she leads, there is an agreement with the University of Prishtina, the department of the Faculty of Economics, which has started teaching the subject Gender Economics since September 2020.This curriculum aims to prepare young professionals, introduce them to the concepts of gender equality and the process of gender responsive budgeting.

Why We Need Media Intervention in Promoting Gender Responsive Budgeting?

Various forms of media have been present in the world for a long time. AsSonia Livingstone, a media and communication researcher and lecturer at the London School of Economics and Politics, points out,in industrialized and civilized countries, the media are present in almost every home.

Because they produce massively consumed content, the media can also take on the role of agents to achieve social change.The gender equality agenda is one of the most interesting issues of a society and as such should take place in the framework of media production.At least ideally!

“The media are well positioned to inform citizens but also to hold public institutions accountable for their legal obligations”,says Morina which stands behind the idea that Gender Responsive Budgeting is a “base” of topics that can be researched and reported.

As an instrument for an equal society, Gender Responsive Budgeting is required by law.At the same time, this makes GRB a fundamental right of citizens.But planning a capital investment in a certain area or any other investment that comes from public money, does not even pass in civic review.

Public debates are few, and in terms of gender, unequal. Women remain underrepresented.

“Citizens are generally not aware of GRB. There is no education regarding this issue. There is a great stagnation in participation in public debates when municipalities plan certain initiatives.But even if citizens participate in these public debates, the representation of women is minimal.”Even if women are invited by the municipality, the real chances for women to be present there are minimal”, reveals one of the main problems of public organization Gusia.

“”Citizens remain uninformed about how they themselves can contribute to gender budgeting through public hearings,” Morina said.

This creates a space in which the media can extend their influence to advance the implementation of Gender Responsive Budgeting.The responsibility for informing and highlighting the cases when the responsible institutions do not fulfill their legal obligations falls on the media.

According to Farnsworth “through chronicles and practical examples of how Gender Responsive Budgeting affects people’s daily lives, the media can meaningfully illustrate what this concept means.Moreover, the media can help people understand how the government has used the budget, if it has failed to address the needs of citizens, and how this has affected their lives”.

Various studies, one of them from theReuters Institute conducted in 2019, find that the role of the media in people’s lives is very large, even much more significant than in previous generations. This also proves the power of the media to be part of social developments and changes.

According to Gusia, who leads the GEA, given the weight of their importance in society, they should also be sensitive in the way they represent women and men in their work.

“There is a village that has been without water for three days and men are interviewed. They forget that due to the cultural norm, the main burden to provide water and work with water is borne by the woman, and this affects the woman much more. When journalists look for answers to water problems in this case, they go and ask the men. That gender sensitivity to target the interviewee shows a lot”.

In addition, the GEA leader points out some problems related to the infrastructure of the capital where the influence of the media would be necessary.The “Bregu i Diellit” neighborhood in Prishtina has not had lighting in certain parts for a long time.This directly affects the lives of women, as they are less likely to buy cars due to lack of jobs, do not afford private transport like taxis while public transport does not function in the evening hours.

“Bregu i Diellit has long been without lighting and I have not seen any chronicle that talks about how much it affects women. “This issue has not been discussed, including the gender perspective, for example in the media”, says Gusia.

The media can hold institutions accountable for the lack of how the budget is planned and spent and if it includes the gender analysis required by law. Information remains the basic mission of the media. It is the purpose of their existence.

Media agendas are loaded with many events.Sensational and interesting occupies the first place in the agenda. But creating an equal society and investing in sustainability should be the mission of every actor in a democratic society.

The media remain the fourth pillar of democracy. As such, they must serve the democratic system.

Author: Donika Lamaxhema

Leaders of 50 journalists’ unions and associations in 34 European countries today called on their governments to intensify pressure and take action in the face of constant violations of human rights and press freedom in Belarus. In a joint letter, they urge their head of government to demand from the Belarusian authorities the immediate release of the 12 imprisoned journalists and the withdrawal of administrative and criminal proceedings against Belarusian journalists.

On the initiative of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliate in Belarus, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), the leaders of 50 journalists’ organisations in 34 countries in Europe today sent a joint letter to European Heads of State and Government about the situation in Belarus, on a very symbolic day.

Thursday 25 March, known as Freedom Day, is an unofficial public holiday marking Belarus’ 1918 declaration of independence. This year, it is expected to be marked with nationwide protests. On 25 March activists around the world will hold protests outside Belarusian embassies and share messages of solidarity with peaceful protesters. BAJ has called for solidarity with Belarusians on this day.

The co-signatories of the EFJ-BAJ letter express their “deep concern about the intensification of repression in Belarus. (…) Today, there are over 250 political prisoners in the country, including 12 journalists. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Since the fraudulent presidential elections of 9 August 2020, more than 30,000 people (including 480 journalists) have been detained, with many of them subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and over 1,000 people targeted by criminal prosecution.”

The joint letter urges European Heads of State:

• to demand from the Belarusian authorities the immediate release of the 12 imprisoned journalists, the withdrawal of administrative and criminal proceedings against Belarusian journalists, and the reopening of the Minsk press club;
• to appeal to the United Nations, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the European Union, so that the international community intensifies pressure and takes action in the face of constant violations of human rights and press freedom in Belarus.

“We welcome yesterday’s decision by the U.N. Human rights Council to set up a team of investigators to gather evidence about the excessive use of force and torture by authorities in Belarus during their post-election crackdown on peaceful protesters,” said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregård. “But this is not enough. The repression continues and intensifies. The regime of the dictator Lukashenko must release all political prisoners without delay, including 12 journalists who have only done their job. It must also end all pending prosecutions. We will work with BAJ to ensure that all those responsible for the repression of journalists are prosecuted and convicted. It is high time for European governments and the international community to take action.”

Read the EFJ affiliates joint letter to European Heads of State and Government about the situation in Belarus: Joint letter Belarus – 25 March.

The EFJ and BAJ also called on European journalists to send letters to imprisoned journalists in Belarus. Here are their postal details:

• Katerina Borisevich, journalist TUT.BY – SIZO №8, 222160, Zhodzina, str. Savietskaya, 22a, Belarus.
• Katerina Bakhvalova (Andreeva), journalist of Belsat – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Daria Chultsova, journalist of Belsat – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Julia Slutskaya, the founder of the “Press Club” – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Sergei Olshevsky, director of the “Press Club” – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Alla Sharko, program director of the Press Club – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Piotr Slutsky, employee of the Press Club – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Ksenia Lutskina, former journalist of Belarus 2, member of the Coordinating Council – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Andrey Alexandrov, journalist and media manager – SIZO №1, 220030, Minsk, st. Volodarskogo, 2, Belarus.
• Denis Ivashin – Prison № 1. 230023, Grodna, st. Kirava, 1, Belarus.
• Yasep Palubiatka – address not yet fixed.
• Sergey Gordievich – under house arrest.

The International Press Institute (IPI) today joined nine other media freedom groups in writing to the Serbian president and prime minister to express serious concerns over the lack of a resolute government response to the dangerous smear campaign against independent news outlet KRIK.

The muted response from government leaders was the main catalyst for four of the nine non-state members of the newly-established Working Group for the Security and Protection of Journalists to withdraw, undermining its work and posing questions over trust in the body.

24 March 2021

Dear President Vučić,

Dear Prime Minister Brnabić,

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and partners are writing to condemn the lack of resolute government response to the smear campaign against independent news outlet KRIK.

We reiterate our call on the Serbian authorities to take the necessary steps to put a stop to this ongoing threat against these and other independent outlets in Serbia, as well as to sanction such discrediting tactics and threats by all institutional means possible.

This is more necessary now than ever, following reports that five of the nine non-state members of the Working Group for the Security and Protection of Journalists have stepped down from the group just three months after its establishment due to the state’s apparent unwillingness to engage with this important threat.

The MFRR and its partners have previously condemned the smear campaign and called for action to ensure the situation does not escalate. We pointed out that the publication of baseless claims linking KRIK to prominent criminals puts them at risk, and we stressed that pro-government media should not be used to further polarisation or to target independent outlets.

We fear that, in a climate of endemic impunity for attacks against journalists, this smear campaign, if left unchecked, could invite further threats and acts of violence against KRIK and provide cover for police interference and persecution.

Instead of unequivocally defending journalists, the representatives of the ruling party SNS have continued to attack them. This has had significant implications for the Serbian Government’s commitment to media freedom and the protection of at-risk journalists and media workers.

The Working Group, which was established to facilitate coordinated action between relevant state bodies and media outlets, journalist associations and unions to respond to emergent threats to journalists and media workers, can only function as intended when all parties contribute fully and state bodies commit to meaningful action.

A breakdown represents not just a failure of the Working Group, but can also actively undermine the media’s trust in the state’s commitment to journalists’ safety and media freedom more broadly.

The key findings of an MFRR fact-finding mission conducted in January and February 2021, led by ARTICLE 19 in cooperation with the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), show alarming numbers of verbal and physical attacks and harassment against journalists often perpetrated by public authorities, in particular politicians and police.

These threats are often followed by coordinated smear campaigns and online harassment. Accountability for these attacks is insufficient despite the existence of numerous mechanisms at governmental level aimed at enhancing the work of police and prosecutors to investigate violence against journalists and cooperate with media associations and journalists’ organisations.

The decision of five organisations to step back from the Working Group should not be dismissed out of hand. Without their involvement, the legitimacy and efficacy of the Working Group can no longer be guaranteed. The Serbian Government should work to address all concerns in an open and transparent manner.

As outlined in the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors (CM/Rec(2016)4), any mechanism focused on the protection of journalists and media workers “should be subject to meaningful civil society oversight”. This oversight is now severely damaged, raising legitimate questions as to the ability of the Working Group to continue functioning as envisaged.

We call on the Serbian authorities to meaningfully engage with journalists and media workers, journalists’ associations and unions, and civil society and to implement its commitments to improve the safety of journalists, media workers and outlets.

This includes a full-throated high-level condemnation of the smear campaign against KRIK and other independent outlets in Serbia and immediately undertaking all necessary steps to stop and sanction these discrediting tactics and threats by all institutional means possible.

Signed:

ARTICLE 19

Committee to Protect Journalists

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Free Press Unlimited

International Press Institute (IPI)

OBC Transeuropa

Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)

—————————————————-

This letter was sent to:

Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia

Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia

During one week, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, in cooperation with UN Women Kosovo, within the regional project “Transformative financing for gender equality towards more transparent, inclusive and accountable governance in the Western Balkans” financed  by SIDA, will held different activities.

Informative articles on GRB and the importance of its implementation, messages from journalists who have participated in previously held workshops on GRB,  and from representatives of various organizations, will be published in upcoming days.

In addition, a workshop with the Mass Communication students will be held, in order to enable them to report on GRB in an impartial, gender-sensitive and ethically sensitive manner.

#GenderResponsiveBudgeting #GRB #UnWomenKosovo #AsociacioniiGazetareveteKosoves #AGK

PODGORICA, 21.03.2021. –  Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM) strongly condemns the attack on Vijesti Television journalist Sead Sadikovic in Bijelo Polje, which is a direct consequence of the long-heated political and national tensions in Montenegro.

It has been shown once again that in such an unhealthy and dangerous atmosphere, journalists are the first and easiest to suffer, as evidenced by some other recent attacks that have taken place.

The way of attacking Sadikovic is especially shocking, as a fact that in Montenegro it is no longer safe to walk the streets of your city without the danger of being verbally and physically targeted because of the work you do that is in the public interest. Additionally worrying is the fact that Sadikovic was the target of numerous provocations and received threats in the previous days, even murder, and that the competent authorities, primarily the Prosecutor’s Office, did not take it seriously. Therefore, the TUMM calls on the authorities to finally start acting with due care and to process all threats and cases of endangering the safety of journalists in order to prevent even more serious consequences.

This situation has also shown that decision-makers need to once again seriously consider increasing the penalties for attacks on journalists, photojournalists and cameramen, because this is a dangerous social phenomenon that is continuously present in our country. Attacks on journalists have long been not just a problem that will slow Montenegro’s path to the European Union. This is a problem that requires the full engagement of the entire Montenegrin society in order to finally stop and so that the media workers can do their job without fear.

PODGORICA, 20.03.2021 – Television Vijesti’s journalist Sead Sadikovic was attacked during a “patriotic” rally in Bijelo Polje.

“Vijesti” published unofficial police report that E.D. (18) and N.O. (21) were arrested, while the other suspects are being searched.

Police Directioran unofficially told “Vijesti” that several participants in the motorcade attacked and beated Sadikovic.

Sadikovic told “Vijesti” that he had minor injuries in the area of ​​the head.

“Swearing, insults… Several of them attacked me, five or six guys. I was defended by people walking down the main street. Another paradox – they hit me with the Montenegrin flag, I guess when they hit the Montenegrin flag it will be less painful,” he said. is Sadikovic for TV Vijesti.

Sadikovic said he hope tensions would calm down and added “God forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing”.

“The police are taking activities in order to identify the persons who physically attacked the journalist Sead Sadikovic. Several people are in the Bijelo Polje Security Center, from which information is being collected in order to determine the circumstances of this event. Police and prosecutorial activities are underway and the public will  be informed in a timely manner, “they said unofficially from UP.

Police will also seize surveillance camera footage.

Earlier, Montenegrins were called on social networks to “start car rallies in all cities at 6 pm”, as a sign of resistance to “fascism and health genocide”.

“Stop the persecution of free people, our heaven, our country, our language, our people,” the call said.

Rallies in which dozens of vehicles participated were organized in several cities.

The attack was condemned by the leaders of the Parliament, the Government and the state, Aleksa Becic, Zdravko Krivokapic and Milo Djukanovic, as well as numerous representatives of the civil sector.