VISAS.

These days in the Balkans, visas are all anyone seems to be talking about. Specifically, the European Union’s new policy on visa-free travel from the region has galvanized the population, as passport holders from Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia are to be exempt from visa entrance requirements to EU-countries by the end of the year.

Noticeably excluded from the visa liberalization process are the nations of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. However, while European officials stated that Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina will join Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia in visa free travel by the end of 2010, no timeline for Kosovo’s inclusion has been given.

Officially, the aforementioned countries have been denied visa liberalization due to their failure to meet criteria established by the EU, such as the introduction of biometric passports, membership in Europol, and measures against corruption, including organized crime. Unofficially, many in Kosovo believe that politics has played a significant role in the EU’s decision to bypass visa liberalization in Kosovo.  

While five EU-members have not recognized Kosovo’s independence, many Kosovars believe that this is not what is hindering visa liberalization in Kosovo; rather, they believe the driving impetus is prejudice. Many within Europe view Kosovo as a lawless nation, run by organized crime and characterized by a black market in drugs, organs and sex slaves. They are worried, many Kosovars argue, that visa liberalization will cause a mass exodus from Kosovo, bringing these problems with it.

But what exactly does this mean for ordinary Kosovars?

For many, visa liberalization is viewed as a crucial step on the path towards integration into the EU. Failing to keep up with their neighbors in this respect will result in the continuing and even increasing global isolation of the citizens of Kosovo.

And many are not willing to accept this.

For example, Forum 2015 (www.forumi2015.org), a local-based think tank, organized a debate, entitled “To Live in the Ghetto.” Here, experts compared the isolation of Kosovo to that of Afghanistan, saying that Kosovars can only travel to four nations without acquiring a visa (Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia and Turkey), while Afghans can travel to twenty nations without a visa. Again, the belief that Kosovo was denied visa liberalization due to political rather than technical reasons was expressed.

The Kosovo Women’s Network, as part of the Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in Southeastern Europe, has issued a call to the EU to include Kosovo in it’s policy of visa liberalization in the Balkans.

They stated, in part, “We are: United to contribute to overcoming the consequences of wars and bringing together the people of this part of the Balkans, despite the fact that in our environment there are women who have lost loved members of families, even half of their families; Committed to supporting reconciliation between the people of this part of the Balkans for the sake of creating a future equal, without discrimination, for all peoples of the Western Balkans and the entire region of Southeast Europe; Welcoming the decision of the European Commission to liberalize the visa regime for  Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, while at the same time surprised at the  serious and discriminatory decisions of the EU to leave Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the “black list;” and, Surprised that, despite the fact that we were already once victims of war, we are now  faced with the ghettoization of our countries, especially since the European Union has established its mission in Kosovo and also has a presence in Albania and in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is in a position to observe all the progress achieved.

These are loaded words. If I were so inclined, I could spend months, probably even years of my life philosophizing on what each of these three terms mean in all of their different proclivities. But in the world of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), these concepts serve as the benchmarks of organizational development.

So, are you ready for a crash course in NGO management?

First, there is no one definition of a non-governmental organization (I get this question all the time!). The Kosovo Women’s Network defines a non-governmental organization as one that does not support any specific political party and works to serve the society in which it exists based on it’s own particular needs. To this definition, the Kosovo Women’s Network has also included a commitment to non-violence and equality regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation and age. (I subscribe to this particular definition not only because it is the one used by my host organization but also because it reflects my own personal understanding of why we in the field do what we do – for the benefit of the STAKEHOLDERS).

I’m sure those of you who are unfamiliar with NGOs are wondering why ethics, accountability and transparency are necessary for an NGO to be both productive and efficient. As I have hinted to above, NGOs measure their success in a unique way – they look at how their work is meeting the demands of their beneficiaries or target group in particular and society in general. So, if they cannot maintain the support of both, they cannot do their jobs. The way for NGOs to ensure their continued trust and involvement is to be open to them.

But, how are these benchmarks to be achieved, especially in the context of a network of over 80 organizations? To address that issue, the Kosovo Women’s Network developed a code of conduct (also called the Ethical and Accountability Code) in 2006, becoming the first NGO in Kosovo to do so. The code of conduct addresses several main target areas, including mission and program, good governance, human resources, financial transparency and accountability, civic responsibility, and partnership and networking.

KWN's code of conduct

Highlights include: the development of a clearly defined mission with input from stakeholders; annual evaluation of the organization’s activities and their contribution to the achievement of mission objectives; the creation of a comprehensive policy manual by the Executive Board; the establishment of standards of employee behavior, including behavior that contributes to the public image of NGOs; the adoption of written policies regarding conflicts of interest, such as misuse of funds, and acceptable sources of funding based on the organization’s mission; the publication of the organization’s annual budgets and the cost-effectiveness of its activities; the provision of adequate information on issues to the public and media; and an agreement to not criticize other network members for the benefit of their individual organization.

(To read the code of conduct in its entirety, visit http://www.womensnetwork.org/)

Here in the office of the Kosovo Women’s Network, I see these principles in action daily. Several times a day, we field both phone calls and visits from employees of member organizations and other NGOs, local and international students, representatives of the media and ordinary citizens. They are granted complete access to information, whether in the form of interviews with staff members or the publications that take up every inch of spare space in the office and are printed in multiple languages.

The process of integrating the code of conduct into the operating procedures of member organizations has been slow.  These may seem like basic measures, but nothing is ever that simple, especially in a country like Kosovo, where the public and its institutions are still dealing with the aftermath of war and independence. This summer, as the Kosovo Women’s Network begins evaluating the progress of implementation of the code of conduct among its members, I will be visiting as many organizations as I can to discuss the issues firsthand.

In a few short days I will be boarding a (17 hour!) flight to Prishtina, Kosovo and starting an exciting and unknown journey.  I cannot wait!!! I am eager to both begin my partnership with the Kosovo Women’s Network and share my experiences with YOU, the readers.

Since I joined The Advocacy Project as a Peace Fellow destined for Kosovo, I have fielded many questions from family, friends and just about everyone else (not that I mind, I have done a ton of research).  Most were unable to locate Kosovo on a map, let alone address the situation of women’s rights in the country.  The good news is that all of them were genuinely curious and expressed their interest to learn more.

Therefore, I want to use this blog to not only advocate for the Kosovo Women’s Network and the women they represent but to also help educate those not in the know on the issues. So please send in your questions, comments and topics you want to hear about and keep reading!

Oh, and check out the map!

Map of the region