Kosovo—Support to the Ombudsperson Institution

The Ombudsperson Institution of Kosovo (OIK) is an independent institution established under the Constitution of Kosovo. It is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, complying with the United Nations’ Paris Principles standards.

Our project supported the OIK to protect and promote the rights and fundamental freedoms of citizens through the introduction of new tools and methods. It also helped the OIK raise awareness among citizens, public authorities, and civil society of the role of the OIK in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Sample Activities

• Build the capacity of the OIK staff with training and training of trainer programs and provide mentoring and support to OIK’s legal advisors.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures, instructions, and guidelines for case and investigation management.
• Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of administrative services.
• Design and implement annual awareness campaigns on the mandate of the OIK and its activities.
• Strengthen engagement with civil society and grassroots associations through regional events.
• Support the procurement of all OIK technical supplies.

Select Results

• Delivered targeted training to OIK professional and administrative staff on harmonization of legislation with the European Convention on Human Rights standards; anti-discrimination; accounting and IT audit; budget planning; and public finances with more than 100 staff participating in total.
• Provided mentoring and advising support to OIK legal advisers.
• Developed and facilitated a number of workshops within the scope of the “Equality for All” campaign organised in Gjakove, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Mitrovica, and Peja with the public to raise awareness of OIK’s mandate with non-majority communities.
• Conducted public opinion surveys to baseline and monitor citizens’ awareness of the OIK’s mandate.
• Developed bespoke software for a new OIK case management system and software for human resources, budget, and finance systems.
• Supported OIK in different cases of legal analysis and reporting through the drafting of legal opinions, reports, and practices as they relate to topics of transitional justice, safety at work, and children’s rights.
• Enhanced OIK’s strategic documents and practices including its annual reporting practices, OIK Strategy 2021-2025, and Action Plan 2021-2023.
• Created OIK’s Legal Information Resource Centre (library) and enhanced its reading materials as well as developed OIK’s electronic archive.