Against racizm!

May 20, 2022

STATEMENT

On May 17, 2022, while the Celebration of ABC was being held in Peja with first-grade children from Kosovo, Albania, Northern Macedonia, and Presevo, in the part of the seats behind a net were sitting a group of 10 children from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. Set aside, they were watching their peers downstairs. In the video published by the media, these children clearly express the desire to celebrate together with the other children, while their teacher justified this separation in a meaningless way. This is a horrific, painful case of segregation and discrimination against communities that are systematically discriminated against and excluded.

This shameful event perpetrated by the school, took place in the presence of representatives of central and local institutions such as: Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Municipality of Peja.

Human Rights Network, together with other CSOs who have signed this letter, strongly condemns such exclusionary and discriminatory actions towards members of the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities, especially when it comes to children, as the most sensitive and clearly vulnerable category of our society. Therefore, we request that this case be treated on the basis of the Law on Protection from Discrimination, which guarantees equal treatment without any direct or indirect discrimination. Discrimination is any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference on any ground, which has the purpose or impact of depreciation or violation of the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and other applicable legislation of the Republic of Kosovo. In addition, Article 8 of the Law on Child Protection states that “all institutions, service providers, child protection professionals, must take all appropriate measures in order for the child to be protected from all forms of discrimination. ”

Actions by MESTI and the Municipal Directorate of Education in Peja should be urgent and effective in taking adequate disciplinary measures against the teacher, the staff of the respective school, but in general, all other similar cases that have a negative impact on these communities and perception of society at large. It is of high importance to not only react on days with cruel events like these and other days to pass quietly and without action and fight against discrimination. We call on the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to work hard in preventing such segregating cases and to work in terms of public awareness. At the same time, we demand institutional responsibility and taking appropriate measures for the case in question, encouraging substantial involvement and monitoring by the Inspectorate of Education, the Ombudsman, and the institutions responsible for implementing the Law on Protection from Discrimination and the Law on Child Protection.

Human Rights Network (HRN) organizations:

Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo (YIHR KS)

Association of Paraplegics and Paralyzed Children of Kosovo HANDIKOS

Center for Equality and Liberty (CEL) Cel Kosovo

Kosovo Law Institute (KLI)

Kosova Women’s Network (KWN)

New Social Initiative – Nova društvena inicijativa (NSI)

Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE)

Organizations supporting this letter:

Junior Chamber International Prizren – JCI Prizren

OJQ DIGNITY

Shoqata e gruas “Jeta në Kastriot”

KIPRED

Fondacioni Jeshil

Fondacioni Lumbardhi

BONEVET Prishtina

BONEVET Gjakova

TOKA

Çohu

Action for Mothers and Children

Rrjeti Demokracia Fillon Këtu-DFK

QIKA

Balkan Forum

Fondacioni Kosovar i Arkitektures

ARTPOLIS

Fondacioni Shtatëmbëdhjetë

Open Data Kosovo

ETEA

Center for Political Courage (CPC)

YMCA Movement

MWAHR

Debate Center

Asociacioni Nacional i Autizmit në Kosovë – ANAK

The Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims – KRCT

Activism Roots

OJQ ROMA IN ACTION

Qendra per Promovimin e Drejtave te Grave ne Drenas – QPDG Drenas

CLARD

Civil Rights Program – Kosovo (CRP/K)

Instituti GAP

Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)

Roma Versitas Kosovo – RVK

Instituti për Politika Zhvillimore – INDEP

Center for Affirmative Social Actions – CASA

Levizja FOL

Advancing Together

Community Building Mitrovica

EcoZ

Fondi për të Drejtën Humanitare Kosovë

Medica Kosova

Terre des hommes Kosovo

NGO AKTIV

OJQ Social Housing and Property Rights

Integra

NGO Domovik

Qendra Kosovare për Studime Gjinore (QKSGJ)

NGO ACDC

Rrograek – Network of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian Women Organizations of Kosovo

Democracy4Development | Demokraci për Zhvillim (D4D)

Youth Association – Young Active Gracanica

Kosova Young Lawyers – KYL

Koalicioni K10

Kosovo Advocacy Group-KAG

Democracy+ (D+)

Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS)

Këshilli Rinor Kosovar

Qendra per Zhvillimin e Grupeve Shoqerore (CSGD)

Missing Persons Resource Center (MPRC)

Aplikimi i Demokracise ne Kosove

OJQ Vullnetarët e Qytetit (VEQ – Gjilan)

REC – Reconciliation Empowering Communities

KVRL Peja

Qendra Rinore Obiliq

Centar Manjinske Zajednice – CMZ from Gracanica

HANDIKOS Malisheva

Iniciativa Kosovare per Stabilitet – IKS

Nevo Koncepti

Instituti për Mirëadministrim dhe të Drejtat e Njeriut (IMADNJ)

Drejtësi Për Të Gjithë

MODT (Multiethnic Organization for Development and Training)

Ojq Bliri

ISDY – Institute for Sustainability and Development of Youth

Instituti për Studime Evropiane dhe Globale – ISEG

AVONET