KOSOVO GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SHELTERS FOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000020 SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/TIP, G - ACBLANK, EUR/SCE, EUR/PGI, INL, DRL, PRM, USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KTIP KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB KV SUBJECT: KOSOVO GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SHELTERS FOR VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: In 2008, the Government of Kosovo's (GOK) Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MLSW) took effective measures to ensure the continued operation of victims of trafficking (VOT) shelters in Kosovo. In 2007, two of the three VOT shelters in Kosovo -- Hope and Homes (HAH) and the Center for the Protection of Victims and Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings (PVPT) -- faced major difficulties in obtaining funding for their operations. The GOK, in cooperation with international donors, provided the critical funding to ensure their continued viability in 2008, and in the case of the PVPT, to expand its operations. Challenges remain, including improving follow-up services the need to establish new shelters outside of Pristina. Nevertheless, the GOK has shown a commitment to VOT shelters in 2008, an effort which is consistent with their overall anti-trafficking work. End Summary. EFFECTIVE ACTION -------------- ¶2. (U) On January 5, Poloff met with representatives of the three organizations legally authorized by the GOK to shelter VOT in Kosovo: Hope and Homes (HAH),the Center for the Protection of Victims and Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings (PVPT),and the Interim Security Facility (ISF). Each shelter has specialized its services for the needs of specific VOT groups. HAH, a local NGO, exclusively shelters children ages 3 to 18 at low risk of additional harm from traffickers. HAH maintains one shelter in Pristina with a maximum capacity of 12 children. (Note: The Anti-Trafficking Section of the Kosovo Police determines the level of threat prior to assigning the VOT to a shelter. High risk victims are those who are witnesses in a trial, or require protection for other reasons. Low risk refers to those victims who are not perceived to be in any immediate danger. End Note.) ¶3. (U) Currently, eight children are sheltered at HAH, all of whom are victims of domestic violence; five are boys, and all are from Kosovo. At the start of 2008, HAH was unable to obtain funding and would have been forced to cease operations had the GOK's Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MLSW) not provided the necessary monies. Currently, the MLSW provides 100% of HAH's funding, equal to 102,000 euro (approx. USD 138,372) per year. ¶4. (U) The Center for the Protection of Victims and Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings (PVPT),a local NGO also based in Pristina, serves both children and adults. The PVPT's shelter operations are smaller than HAH, with a maximum capacity of 5 adults (there are currently two adult female occupants from Kosovo),but the PVPT also operates a Rehabilitation Center. The Center is capable of serving eleven persons and focuses on long-term treatment designed to reintegrate VOT into ordinary life. At the Center there are currently three adult VOT and eight children designated as possible VOT. (Note: The children participate in the Center's program as a preventative measure designed to teach awareness of trafficking. End Note.) All the current Rehabilitation Center participants are female and from Kosovo, although the Center, like all VOT shelters in Kosovo, is open to all VOT regardless of nationality. The Center is served by one physician, one psychiatrist, and three psychologists. Additional medical treatment, such as examination by a gynecologist or dentist, is made available outside the Center when necessary. Day-to-day activities at the center consist of legal counseling by a Kosovo Prosecutor, English classes, vocational training, drama therapy, as well as access to a gym and library. The PVPT was closed from December 2007 to September 2008 due to lack of funding, but it reopened with financial support from the Finnish Office and the GOK's MLSW, which provided approximately 20% (or 18,900 euro, $24,418) of the PVPT's PRISTINA 00000020 002 OF 002 90,000 euro ($122,053) annual budget. This financial support permitted the PVPT both to restart its operations and to expand its programs, such as opening the Rehabilitation Center. ¶5. (U) The Interim Security Facility (ISF) is part of the GOK, under the Ministry of Justice's Victims Advocacy Assistance Unit, and can handle up to 20 VOT at one time. The shelter is designed specifically for high risk VOT, though it is open to low and medium risk VOT as well. Currently, there are two adult women using the shelter: one Kosovo citizen, and one Serb. Both are high risk VOT and are witnesses in anti-trafficking trials. The ISF requires greater funding, and its representative noted that medical doctors and psychologists had not visited the shelter since the end of 2007 due to insufficient staffing. Instead, VOT are required to leave the shelter, under Police escort, and travel to their medical appointments. The Kosovo Police are responsive in providing the necessary escort. The ISF representative also reported that the single security camera at the shelter had failed in November 2008, and had not yet been repaired due to procurement issues. There are no security guards. In spite of these problems, the ISF representative said that the shelter continues to function effectively. CHALLENGES REMAINING -------------- ¶6. (U) The representatives from HAH and PVPT said that they are generally pleased with the support from the GOK, but they hope to increase their level of service in the future, particularly in follow-up support once VOT had left the shelters. Currently, once VOT leave the shelters, there is very little follow-up or additional support, and the HAH representative was eager to change this. The ISF representative was more critical of the GOK's efforts, noting the security and medical difficulties the ISF faced. While procedures exist to obtain the appropriate medical services and complete the repair of the security camera, the ISF representative complained that onerous paperwork requirements had significantly delayed their resolution. ¶7. (U) The GOK also faces a lack of VOT shelters outside Pristina. As a stopgap effort, the MLSW has opened 32 Social Centers, one for each municipality. The Social Centers serve a variety of needs, and each employs a social worker that is trained to aid VOT. However, as the MLSW itself has recognized, Social Centers are not a substitute for shelters. The MLSW has not yet developed plans to fill this gap. ¶8. (U) COMMENT: The GOK in 2008 has taken initiative to ensure that VOT have safe and appropriate shelters for refuge. Due to their efforts, HAH and PVPT were operational in 2008, and the latter actually expanded its operations. The ISF continues to operate in the face of budget contstraints, and we are encouraged that its representatives recognize the need to improve services. Work remains, but the GOK's success in improving the quality of its VOT shelters during the past year shows that Kosovo is committing resources to improving its anti-trafficking regimen. KAIDANOW