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222. Strengthening Protection Mechanisms of Gender Based Violence in Kosovo
- Author:
- Adelina Hasani and Vesa Kroçi
- Publication Date:
- 07-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- Femicide and insufficiently addressed gender-based violence represent major security concerns in Kosovo, yet they have not been adequately prioritized as immediate issues by the full spectrum of state mechanisms. Activists in Kosovo have consistently demanded that gender-based violence be declared and treated a national emergency, a plea that state institutions have not taken into consideration. Within just five days in April 2024, two women in Kosovo were victims of femicide, murdered by their partners. Gender-based violence and femicide pose significant security threats to women. From January to March 2024, 698 cases of gender-based violence were reported to the police, compared to 2,638 cases reported throughout 2023. Despite the high number of reported cases, many cases remain unreported due to the complex socio-economic challenges’ women face across different regions of Kosovo. There are several reasons highlighting the inadequacies in addressing the prevention of gender-based violence. Recent research conducted by the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies elaborates on several problems concerning gender-based violence in Kosovo. There are some of them: Women’s trust in security and justice institutions is critical for reporting gender-based violence. However, the leniency of the judicial system towards perpetrators and the prolonged duration of domestic violence cases discourage women from seeking justice. There is a lack of sensitivity and expertise among law enforcement authorities, especially in rural areas, to handle genderbased violence cases effectively. The absence of property ownership among women is a significant barrier to their economic independence and security. Despite legal provisions for equal property rights, women often relinquish their inheritance, leaving them with limited resources and options when facing violence. This lack of financial autonomy leaves women in a troubling situation where they may feel compelled to return to their abusers. Many women withdraw their complaints of gender-based violence due to third-party interventions, often under family pressure. There is a tendency among family members and officials to blame women for reporting abuse, further discouraging them from seeking help. Women reporting domestic violence often endure double discrimination from institutions, society, and their families. There is limited information about rights and available support services for victims of gender based violence in Kosovo. The lack of awareness intensifies feelings of vulnerability and exacerbates the sense of helplessness when seeking solutions. There is also insufficient investment in support services for victims and consequences for perpetrators. Insufficient and unstable funding for shelters poses a significant challenge to supporting survivors of domestic violence. Without adequate resources, shelters struggle to maintain essential services and meet the increasing demand for their services. There is also a lack of sustainable institutional support for victims, leading some to return to their abusers. Addressing gender-based violence and femicide requires a holistic approach from all institutions involved in handling cases arising from diverse circumstances. In this analysis, we aim to examine the shortcomings in implementing protection orders for victims and the physical protection of shelters and the Centre for Social Work (CSW) from perpetrators.
- Topic:
- Security, Women, Gender Based Violence, Protection, and Femicide
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Kosovo
223. How external actors seek to influence the Western Balkans?
- Author:
- Harun Nuhanović
- Publication Date:
- 04-2024
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
- Abstract:
- The Western Balkans, a region with a complex history and significant geopolitical value, finds itself at the crossroads of influence from major external powers—Russia, China, and Turkey. Each of these countries extends its reach through various domains such as economics, culture, religion, politics, and security, exploiting both state and non-state mechanisms to cement their influence. This report delves into the strategies employed by these state actors, highlighting their individual and collective impacts on the strategic landscape of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, and Montenegro. The findings reveal how these external influences pose both opportunities and significant risks, shaping the regional dynamics and the future integration of these states into larger international frameworks such as the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, NATO, European Union, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Europe, Turkey, Kosovo, and Western Balkans
224. Addressing Zambia’s Water Security Challenges
- Author:
- Leleti Maluleke
- Publication Date:
- 08-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Good Governance Africa (GGA)
- Abstract:
- This policy briefing outlines the scale of Zambia’s current water crisis and examines its impact on agriculture, the environment, and the economy. Based on this analysis, it recommends a multifaceted approach to improve water management and distribution. Key recommendations include enhancing governance frameworks, investing in infrastructure, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and addressing gender inequalities in water access.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Environment, Water, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Zambia
225. Improving water governance in South Africa to ensure a water-secure country
- Author:
- Leleti Maluleke
- Publication Date:
- 03-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Good Governance Africa (GGA)
- Abstract:
- This policy briefing outlines the pressing water challenges facing South Africa and proposes recommendations to address them. Among these are increasing water insecurity, including severe droughts, inadequate water conservation measures, outdated infrastructure, and unequal access to water resources. We outline some of the existing policies and frameworks to address these challenges and provide recommendations for strengthening water governance in general. The briefing emphasises the need for immediate action to safeguard water security and ensure equitable access to clean water.
- Topic:
- Security, Water, Infrastructure, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Africa and South Africa
226. What You Should Know About the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017
- Author:
- Our Secure Future
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Our Secure Future
- Abstract:
- In October 2017, the United States passed the Women, Peace, and Security Act, a piece of landmark legislation that recognizes women as powerful agents of change in peace and security operations. This legislation came into being thanks to the efforts of the US Civil Society Working Group and seeks to make the US a global leader in promoting women’s active engagement in conflict prevention, relief, and recovery. Originally published in 2018, this policy brief includes 2023 updates on the United States WPS Act and serves as a guide on the history, implementation, and funding of the act.
- Topic:
- Security, Civil Society, Women, Legislation, Peace, Women, Peace, and and Security Act
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
227. Institutionalizing Women, Peace and Security The Role of Gender and Women, Peace and Security: Advisors in the United States Government
- Author:
- Kelly Case
- Publication Date:
- 04-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Our Secure Future
- Abstract:
- This brief assesses the United States government’s progress on advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda through the work of Women, Peace and Security Advisors, Gender Advisors, and additional positions that have this as a component of their work. It is designed as a starting point for discussion to help policymakers: improve their understanding of these roles; strengthen their knowledge on why this agenda can help achieve more durable peace around the world; and provide recommendations on how to create a more robust infrastructure to better support these critical roles.
- Topic:
- Security, Women, Peace, and Institutionalization
- Political Geography:
- North America and United States of America
228. The Spillover Effect: The Gaza Conflict and Potential Ramifications to the Western Balkans
- Author:
- Vuk Vuksanović
- Publication Date:
- 01-2024
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)
- Abstract:
- This report outlines potential security and geopolitical risks for the Western Balkans stemming from the war in Gaza. While none of these security challenges are inevitable, they are possible. Depending on whether the conflict in Gaza continues in its current form or whether it escalates in intensity and number of belligerents, there are at least three potential ramifications for the Western Balkans. The first concerns the potential radicalisation in the local Muslim communities involving anti-Semitism and acts of violence that could disrupt harmony between local religious communities. The second concerns the risk that if the conflict expands to engulf Iran and Hezbollah and potentially other regional actors, there is a risk that this security rivalry between Middle Eastern players like Israel and Iran will spread to the Western Balkans. Thirdly, depending on the geographical scope and duration of the conflict, there is a potentially high risk of a new refugee crisis impacting the region.
- Topic:
- Security, Radicalization, Geopolitics, Refugees, 2023 Gaza War, and Antisemitism
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Middle East, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, and Western Balkans
229. How to Unbind the State Capture in Serbia? Towards Security Institutions and Foreign Policy in the Service of Citizens
- Author:
- Jelena Pejic Nikic and Predrag Petrovic
- Publication Date:
- 06-2024
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)
- Abstract:
- There are many findings of domestic and foreign research organisations that unequivocally indicate that Serbia is a captured state, with a hybrid political regime. Security institutions play a major role in the capture of the state and the collapse of democracy in Serbia, as well as in preserving the situation the way it is. The Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) was one the first organisations in Serbia to notice this negative trend; consequently, in 2019 and 2020, we investigated and documented in detail the role of the security intelligence services, the police, the army and private security companies in capturing the state, as well as the impotence of oversight and control bodies. In the research that followed in 2021, we established that the government of the Serbian Progressive Party, led by Aleksandar Vučić, had completed the capture of the state and that today’s security institutions are operating with the aim of preserving such a state of affairs. We also researched the foreign policy aspects of this negative process. Public opinion surveys conducted by BCSP have also established that the majority of the citizens are aware that Serbia is a captured state, i.e. that politicians, organised into interest groups, use state institutions together with financially powerful actors to further strengthen their political and financial power, all to the great detriment of citizens. Since state institutions are deeply captured and the citizens are aware of that fact, we have decided not to further document this process; in this study, we rather tried to determine how to organise the security institutions and strengthen their external overseers so that the security sector can no longer be easy prey for those who are politically and financially powerful. In other words, we wanted to determine how to ensure that security institutions work in the interest of citizens, precisely as the Constitution of Serbia requires. The starting point of this endeavour were the findings of the above mentioned BCSP research, in which we identified the “gray areas” and “veto points” within the security sector, that is, legal and institutional solutions that made it possible to capture these institutions quite easily. We verified the solutions for the reorganisation of these gray areas against the opinions of our interlocutors, former and current employees of the security institutions and the judiciary, diplomats, journalists, attorneys, politicians and representatives of civil society. We verified the solutions for the reorganisation of these gray areas against the opinions of our interlocutors, former and current employees of the security institutions and the judiciary, diplomats, journalists, attorneys, politicians and representatives of civil society. The interviews helped us to confirm, but also to refute our assumptions.
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, Institutions, and State Capture
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Serbia
230. Russian Nuclear Calibration in the War in Ukraine
- Author:
- Heather Williams, Kelsey Hartigan, Lachlan MacKenzie, and Reja Younis
- Publication Date:
- 02-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
- Abstract:
- Russian nuclear threats have cast a long shadow over the war in Ukraine. As the conflict enters its third year, it is crucial to understand the objectives of Russia’s nuclear signaling at various stages and the effectiveness of U.S. and allied responses thus far. To explore these issues, the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues recently compiled a database and released a digital report Russian nuclear narratives and their evolution during the first 18 months of the war.[1] This brief builds on that work and finds that Russian officials noticeably calibrated their nuclear signaling at key points in the war. It also concludes that the risks of nuclear use will likely rise if Russia faces significant battlefield setbacks in the future or the conflict expands in new or unexpected ways. Accordingly, Washington should work to maintain international pressure against nuclear use in Ukraine while combatting narratives that downplay or rationalize Russia’s nuclear threats.
- Topic:
- Security, Nuclear Weapons, and Russia-Ukraine War
- Political Geography:
- Russia and Europe