UN Women COVID-19 campaign

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Organizations: UN Women
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UN Women COVID-19 campaign against domestic violence in Kosovo reaches over 1 million.

As reports of domestic violence increase dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, influential leaders in Kosovo join UN Women’s “Report Violence, Save Lives!” campaign against domestic violence.

Although staying at home is an important protection against the spread of COVID-19, home is not always safe. Reports in Kosovo[1] indicate that domestic violence cases during the coronavirus pandemic are up 36 per cent from the same period last year.

To mitigate this, UN Women in Kosovo has begun “Report Violence, Save Lives!”, an awareness-raising campaign that empowers survivors to report domestic violence and which has led to a rapid response from leaders in government, police and women’s organisations to protect them.

Powered by a series of powerful videos from important influencers and leaders in government, “Report Violence, Save Lives!” has reached more than a million people in its first two weeks.

“Staying home saves us from the virus but violence must not be isolated as a private matter inside homes,” said Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in his taped message. “It should be reported, and the responsible institutions should increase their response. Every case of violence is an emergency. The virus cannot delay for later the prevention and punishment of domestic violence.”

Assembly President Vjosa Osmani urged people to report violence. “Violence survives only when we are silent, therefore you should never isolate your voice during this period of isolation. Your voice can empower so many others in a similar same position,” she said.

Survivors of domestic violence can seek assistance during lockdown hours and are exempt from strict new Ministry of Health curfew measures and restrictions on movement.

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