Tracking gender-based human rights violations in postwar Kosovo.
Four years have passed since the institution of the cease-fire in Yugoslavia, and questions remain as to how Kosovar women are faring in the country's postwar reconstruction. Reports, albeit fragmented, suggest that violence against women began to increase in 1998 and 1999. This trend continued through 2001, even while rates of other major crimes decreased. Despite considerable local efforts to address the conditions of women, there remains a lack of systematic data documenting the scope and frequency of violent acts committed against women. A centralized surveillance system focused on tracking human rights abuses needs to be established to address this critical need for empirically based reports and to ultimately guide reform efforts.
Department of Population and International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Sapna
S
Desai
Melissa J
MJ
Perry
D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D045809:Human Rights Abuses / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014858:War Crimes / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015022:Yugoslavia