A Trip to Kosovo to Get Practical Insights into a Transitional Justice Process

Group photo of MTJ students during the study trip Group photo of MTJ students during the study trip

6 March 2020

Students of our Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law (MTJ) spent, as part of the programme’s annual study trip, four days in Kosovo where they met with a wide range of experts and institutions involved in post-conflict reconstruction and the rule of law.

‘The study trip forms an integral part of the programme and allows students to learn about how, in a specific context, institutions are dealing with the past, victims’ representation or the re-establishment of the rule of law’ explains Frank Haldemann, Co-Director of the MTJ.

‘As the study trip takes place at the beginning of the second semester, students already acquired the necessary tools to analyse a specific situation and ask the right questions. As they are directly involved in the organization of the trip, they also come well prepared and with a good understanding of the challenges and dynamics at play’ stresses Thomas Unger, Co-Director of the MTJ.

Exchanges with Parliamentarians and the Minister of Justice

In meetings with government officials and parliamentarians, students could discuss and exchange around transitional justice issues and challenges in Kosovo.

Parliamentarian Saranda Bogujevci shared with students her personal experience as a survivor of the war and her path to representing her fellow citizens and survivors as a member of the Parliament.

The Speaker of the Parliament Vjosa Osmani – the first woman to hold such a position in the Balkans region – notably exchanged around preparatory work to establish a truth and reconciliation commission.

Students also had the opportunity to meet with Abulena Haxhiu, Minister of Justice and discuss with her Kosovo's agenda for transitional justice and dealing with the past. In the meeting Nazlie Bala, a prominent women's rights defender now working at the Ministry also shared her experience providing support to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

‘This study trip to Kosovo has been an eye-opener. We had the privilege to meet representatives of the government and civil society. We met with the speaker of the parliament Ms Vjosa R. Osmani as well as the minister of justice Ms Albulena Haxhiu during their first days of office. We also heard personal stories of war's survivors and their experiences in the aftermath of the conflict in particular with international justice. It was a unique opportunity to put in perspective what we learned in class ’ says Jessica Guez.

Master in Transitional Justice Study Trip Kosovo Minister of Justice

Learning about Civil Society Work

Students met with staff from the Kosova Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims, an organization that provides psychosocial support to survivors of torture and sexual violence and carry out campaigns to tackle the stigma around it.

They also visited the exhibition ‘Once Upon a Time, Never Again‘ organized by the Humanitarian Law Center in memory of the children killed as a result of the war.

‘It was inspiring and fascinating to see the active involvement of women in parliament, justice institutions, civil society organizations, who faced the war and are now contributing to accountability, memorialization, victims’ recognition, gender equality, and truth-seeking processes in Kosovo. The school notes, shoes, clothes, marbles of children at the ‘Once Upon a Time and Never Again‘ exhibition deeply touched the hearts of each and everyone and delivers a clear reminder that children are particularly vulnerable in situations of armed conflict and that documenting and memorialization actions can play a vital role in avoiding the return of violence‘ says Cholpon Kainazarova.

Master in Transitional Justice Study Trip Kosovo Torture NGO

A Day Trip to Prizren

Students also visited Prizren to explore the country a little bit and unwind after the meetings in Pristina and the exam session that took place prior to the trip.

‘Prizren is a beautiful old town located two hours drive away from Pristina. Prizren's old town is filled with Ottoman-era architecture. At the time of our trip, trees in the streets of Prizren were wrapped in knitwear made by women to support the victims of sexual and gender-based violence‘ explains Ana Theresa Corzanego Khatounian.

Master in Transitional Justice Study Trip Kosovo Prirzen

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

Tong Li on the Mont-Blanc Bridge with the Geneva Academy flags News

MAS in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law: What our Students Say

16 January 2023

Tong Li is enrolled in our MAS in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law. In this interview, he tells about his background, the programme and what it will bring to his career.

Read more

Benjamin Greenacre, Anamika Pillai and Rodanthi Violaki in the park surrounding Villa Moynier News

Our 2023 Pictet Team

13 February 2023

Benjamin Greenacre, Anamika Pillai and Rodanthi Violaki will represent the Geneva Academy at the 40th Edition of the Jean-Pictet Competition that will take place from 25 February to 4 March 2023 in Durrës, Albania.

Read more

Portrait of Magistrate Roberto Vidal Event

Taking Stock of Five Years of Work at the Special Jurisdiction for Peace: Challenges and Achievements

31 March 2023, 18:30-20:00

In this discussion co-organized with the Permanent Mission of Colombia to the UN in Geneva, the President of Colombia's Special Jurisdiction for Peace Magistrate Roberto Vidal will discuss the challenges and achievements of this body.

Read more

Cover page of the Commentary Event

Taking Stock: Women’s Rights and Gender-Based Discrimination under Scrutiny at the International Level

12 May 2023, 10:00-12:00

This event marks the publication of the second, fully revised and updated, edition of ‘The UN Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol. A Commentary’.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

13-17 November 2023

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

View of a session of the UN Human Rights Committee Training

The International Human Rights Standards and System: Monitoring and Implementation Strategies at the National Level

3-7 July 2023

This training course will delve into the means and mechanisms through which national actors can best coordinate their human rights monitoring and implementation efforts, enabling them to strategically navigate the UN human rights system and use the various mechanisms available in their day-to-day work.

Read more

George Floyd protest in Washington D.C. Project

Promoting and Protecting the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and Civic Space Worldwide

Started in June 2020

This project aims at providing support to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Voulé by addressing emerging issues affecting civic space and eveloping tools and materials allowing various stakeholders to promote and defend civic space.

Read more

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Project

The Universality of Human Rights: Developing Narratives to Help Overcome Polarization

Completed in January 2020

This research aimed at taking stock of and contributing to a better understanding of the above-mentioned challenges to the principle of universality of human rights while also questioning their validity.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

The Emergence of Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases

published on March 2023

Domenico Zipoli

Read more