[Kosovo] KOMF warns of the risk of closing services for children in need

The Coalition of NGOs for the Protection of Children - KOMF in Kosovo, on the eve of the International Day of the Convention on the Rights of the Child addressed an official request to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Skender Reçica and the Minister of Finance, Hykmete N. Bajrami, requesting the undertaking of immediate measures to prevent the closure of services for children in need as well as the long-term solution of the financing of social services.

Specifically, KOMF has requested:

• Undertaking immediate measures to prevent the temporary closure of shelter services for children without parental care, victims of violence and abuse, victims of trafficking (low level of risk) in January 2021, through the announcement as soon as possible of the call by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare to support direct social services provided by licensed shelters.
• Take immediate measures to regulate the mechanism of sustainable funding for all social services for vulnerable children, such as children with disabilities, children in foster care or children involved in hard labor, by issuing regular calls to which will not leave gaps or time gaps financially uncovered, which happens every year and results in interruptions of social services.
• Proceeding as soon as possible the process of approval of the Draft Law on Local Government Finance (which is currently being drafted), which provides for the creation of a Specific Grant for Social Services, in order to solve the long-term problem of financing social services.

Service providers licensed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare to provide residential services are continuing to face financial instability. Social and residential services for children in need are funded by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare through public calls every year and every year there are time gaps between calls / contracts for support, leaving these providers without financial support, at the beginning of each year.
This year too, the shelters have funding only until December 31, 2020. Due to the lack of funding, the shelters risk being temporarily closed from January 1, 2021. The interruption of the provision of these services, even temporarily, will leave the accommodated children homeless. currently in these shelters and will also close the door on new cases that may be in need of residential services, thus violating children’s fundamental right to protection.
Service providers for other vulnerable children are also facing a difficult situation. Service providers through day care centers and services in the family and community, have not received any financial support during 2020, from MLSW.
KOMF warns that unless immediate measures are taken to prevent the closure of social and residential services for child victims or those in need of services or housing, the rights and well-being of children in Kosovo will be severely violated and in an unprecedented way.
KOMF is aware that the general economic situation has worsened as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the protection of the fundamental rights of children should be an absolute priority for the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, placing this priority before capital investments.