UNICEF GOVERNANCE FOR CHILDREN

GOVERNANCE FOR CHILDREN A brief overview of the situation of children in Kosovo 1 OVERVIEW

1. Kosovo refers to the ‘UN Administered Province of Kosovo’ based on the Security Council Resolution 1244.

For simplicity, herein after, the territory is referred to as ‘Kosovo’

GOVERNANCE FOR CHILDREN

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(TABLE OF CONTENTS) ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS DHS............................................................................Demographic Health Survey EU...............................................................................European Union EMIS..........................................................................Education Management Information System GDP............................................................................Gross domestic product HBS............................................................................Household Budget Survey HDIs...........................................................................Human Development Indexes IMF.............................................................................International Monetary Fund KDSP..........................................................................Kosovo Development Strategic Plan MCVYS.......................................................................Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport MDG...........................................................................Millennium development goals MEST..........................................................................Ministry of Education, Science and Technology MLGA..........................................................................Ministry of Local Government Administration MLSW.........................................................................Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare MoH............................................................................Ministry of Health MTEF...........................................................................Medium Term Expenditure Framework SITAN..........................................................................Situation Analysis (the present) SOK..............................................................................Statistical Office of Kosovo UN................................................................................United Nations UNDP...........................................................................United Nations Development Programme UNICEF........................................................................United Nations Children’s Fund UNMIK .........................................................................United Nations Mission in Kosovo WB................................................................................World Bank WHO.............................................................................World Health Organisation

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INTRODUCTION This is a situation overview of the policy and administrative framework in Kosovo regarding children’s and youth’s survival, development, participation and protection. Since 1999, Kosovo has been under the administration of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. It has also been supported by the UN, the European Union and international donors with a view towards eventual European integration.

The stagnated political resolution of Kosovo’s status has continued to hamper the availability of accurate data to measure Kosovo’s progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. The availability of evidence based research in Kosovo has been limited by lack of a comprehensive census. Since last population census took place in 1981, only few new fragmented data on the situation of children and youth has been available.

Half of Kosovans live in poverty. There are poor health and education indicators, few employment opportunities in particular for youth and limited services to protect children. The alleviation of poverty will require a concerted effort by local and international partners for several years to come. 2008 presents a unique opportunity to look at the current state of governance and draw some conclusions of how it affects children’s welfare.

The overall aid environment is critical for improving children’s welfare. Donor cooperation has not been sufficiently targeted at health, education or social protection services leaving Kosovo’s authorities with few additional funds to supplement their own revenue sources. Development cooperation has thus far been channelled only to a limited extent towards the achievement of the areas highlighted in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The future aid will hopefully be directed at policy level interventions in order to improve the ability of authorities to provide services for all children in Kosovo.

Special consideration is needed in this regard in order to address the parallel local government structures, and make sure all children’s rights are protected.

This paper offers a brief overview on the current situation and governance related to children and youth in Kosovo. The comprehensive version of the 2 report will soon be published. The overview also contains voices of children which represent their own views on how poverty affects their lives.

2. UNICEF and Save the Children unedited report ‘What children and youth say about poverty’

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THE SITUATION OF CHILDREN A young and multi-ethnic population 3

The population in Kosovo is estimated at 2 069.989 at the end of 2005 . The vast majority, 92 percent are Kosovo Albanian, 5, 3 percent Kosovo Serb and other ethnic groups make up 2, 7 percent. The Kosovo population is relatively young, with an estimated half of its population (around 900.000) being under 18. The number of children from 0 to 5 is estimated at nearly 250.000. Kosovo is mainly rural with 63 percent living in villages and 37 in urban settings. Male life expectancy is estimated at 67 years while female at 69 years.

Young people in Kosovo have lived through a period of tremendous instability, change and transformation. It is a generation that was mostly educated in the parallel system with little expectation of future jobs and opportunities. While previous generations lived in relative isolation, young people today have access to communication, satellite TV and the internet which have fundamentally affected attitudes and behaviour. These changes are now being manifested in a number of different areas related to how young people view their rights and responsibilities within society. And perhaps most important, this is the generation that will provide the future leaders and decision makers in Kosovo.

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The situation for children and youth in Kosovo is critical. Despite some improvements concerning gender equity, available data point to a relatively negative situation concerning economic development and employment opportunities. Although various statistical data are missing including a census (the last comprehensive Census took place in 1981), the overall trend from existing data and surveys is clear: Kosovo continues to lag far behind the rest of Europe.

“Poverty smothers us all. The reasons are a weak economy, especially in our community, and this causes a lot of other things: problems at school, for example. The parents tell the child to go to school, but he doesn’t have the necessary materials, so he leaves school, and then you have the conflict starting with the parents. So poverty brings problems. The child gets into trouble because when he abandons school there is nothing else to do, and so there begins stealing, drugs…” (Roma Boy, 16 years old)

Persistent Poverty Rich people make decisions. A poor person can’t make these decisions because he has no real power to make things happen. Poverty doesn’t know or care what age or anything else you are, you just suffer. (Roma boy, 16-year-old) 4

The latest Kosovo Poverty Assessment indicates that poverty has remained largely unchanged despite significant international assistance directed at Kosovo.

Despite some GDP growth, the proportion of people living in poverty and in 3. Statistical Office of Kosovo Vital Statistics Report 2005 4. Kosovo Poverty Assessment, Document of the World Bank, October 2007

particular those living below the food poverty line has not decreased in the last several years. Poverty appears to have hit minorities and the Serbian population hard, but with an overall 45, 1 poverty rate in 2006, it is evident that poverty dominates the livelihoods of almost half of Kosovo. Given its multi-dimensional and generational impact, poverty is at the root of deprivation among children in Kosovo.

Unemployment When you don’t have a job of course poverty is in your home, because when you have money you can buy everything you lack. When you are without money, even if you lack things, you can’t go out to buy things. I think that it is much easier to become poor than it is to get out of poverty. To get out of poverty you need time and money so that you can stand on your own feet. (Roma boy, 16-year- old) The employment situation is dramatic. With only 54 percent working, Kosovo has the lowest labour force participation rate in Europe. 74 percent of men and only 33 percent of women are economically active. Close to 90 percent of registered unemployed are long-term unemployed, without any prospect of finding a job in the near future.

Unemployment mainly affects young people leading to major social economic and health consequences. Each year, 30.000 young people are swelling the ranks of jobs seekers, while a maximum of 15.000 new jobs are expected to be available according to the Draft Kosovo Development Strategy and Plan.

Youth unemployment in Kosovo is very high, estimated at 49.5 percent. Kosovo 5 youth are twice as likely as adults to be unemployed . Certain young groups tend to face greater difficulties than others in their job search. There are increasing problems of exclusion, particularly towards the less-educated, young women, ethnic minorities and disabled young people.

The level of democratic participation of young people remains limited with little access to information that results in low knowledge on risky behaviours and reproductive health. In 2006 only 4, 1 percent participated in NGO projects and 11, 2 percent participated in citizen initiatives. A concerted effort from development partners is needed in order to achieve the goals set out in the 2006 Kosovo Youth Employment Plan.

Still a way to go on health and nutrition issues No one likes to be poor but the poor one is like a person missing a limb. Poverty humbles people because you lack all of the positive conditions of life. (Ashkali male, 23- year- old) Health and nutrition indicators are still far from neighbouring countries and in particular the EU average. The health care system needs additional financial 5. Youth Employment Action Plan, ILO, 2006

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resources to accelerate institutional and legal reforms. The current allocation of budgetary resources is focused on programs like curative and hospital care, while very little is spent on preventative and primary health care. The lack of quality standards and service protocols significantly hinder the quality of health care services. Nearly half of all health spending in Kosovo is paid directly by patients, much of which is spent on pharmaceuticals in private pharmacies, due to lack of essential drugs in public health facilities. Higher and more efficient expenditure on primary health care is essential for improving the health status of Kosovo’s population.

The Kosovo health sector is negatively affected by the parallelism of governance and social systems in Kosovo. As such Kosovo Serbs do not recognize Kosovo government institutions and instead use health institutions governed and financed by the Serbian Ministry of Health. Communication and cooperation between the official and parallel system is poor or inexistent, and there is no exchange of information.

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The birth rate in Kosovo has been relatively high, and the natural growth rate is 6 estimated at 1, 6 percent per year. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is considered to be the highest in Europe. Based on available estimates, 35 to 49 out of 1000 children do not reach their first birthday, while 69 out of 1000 children do not 7 reach their fifth birthday .The principal causes of infant mortality are pre-mature births and respiratory diseases. In a positive trend, a recent report shows decline 8 of perinatal mortality from 29, 1 in 2000 to 20 in 2007 . Immunization coverage 9 rates have increased to over 90 percent in Kosovo , however it remains lower among Roma, Ashkalia, Egyptian communities.

The UNICEF Micro Nutrient Status Survey (MNSS), conducted in Kosovo in 2001revealed that 96 percent of pregnant women deliver at health facilities with medical assistance. An antenatal care study in 2003 found that 99 percent of pregnant women receive antenatal care, but the quality of these services is inadequate. The same study revealed that almost 20 percent of women living in urban areas smoke during their pregnancy, which can be directly linked to low birth weight.

The MNSS survey found that one third of the children under five, suffer from vitamin A deficiency. This means that one in three children under five are at risk of impaired vision, and have a weak immune system that makes them vulnerable to disease. Two out of every ten children below the age of five suffer from mild or moderate anaemia, which causes fatigue, weakness and negatively affects children’s growth and school performance. The malnutrition rate is high in Kosovo, with one in every ten children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition.

6. Infant mortality records the number of deaths per 1,000 live births before the age of one and due to unreliable data in Kosovo, the live births rate is estimated as being between 35-49/1000 live births. The under 5 mortality in Kosovo is estimated at 69 per 1,000 live births (Statistical Office of Kosovo, DHS 20030 7. DHS 2003 8. Perinatal Situation in Kosovo for 2000 – 2007. MoH and others, April 2008.

9. Annual report of National Institute of Public Health

Communities and families have a low level of knowledge and awareness about home health care, child development and reproductive health. This knowledge gap represents a major obstacle to improving mother and child health.

The environment is not suitable for children The main environmental problems are air pollution, waste management and heavy metal pollution particularly in the Mitrovice/Mitrovica municipality with the highest blood lead level on record in the world. Only 64 percent of the population has access to clean water. On average, less than 50 percent of households are connected to public sewage and in rural communities this figure 10 falls to around 7 per cent , which increases the risk of infection.

Children are not adequately prepared for primary school School readiness “I want to be educated and have knowledge and aspire to going to high school and university”. (Albanian girl, 8-year- old) The 2007 MDG report for Kosovo calls attention to an alarmingly low rate of pre-school enrolment. Kosovo has a rate of less than 10 percent of pre-school attendance, which can have a serious impact on children’s development and learning achievements throughout their education. The majority of existing preschools, kindergartens or pre-primary classes are located in urban centres, leaving most rural children unprepared for primary school.

Recent policy initiatives to increase access to pre-school have not been supported by resource allocation. Consequently, pre-primary classes have been closed in several municipalities during 2006/7.

Who are left out of the education system?

When a child goes to school and doesn’t have books, clothes, or shoes, he is not considered proper to play with other kids. Teachers call parents if children don’t have books and that’s why children are leaving school -- because they don’t have books. (Roma girl, 18-year-old) High primary enrolment rates at the aggregate level mask disparities in education.

Primary school enrolment in Kosovo is almost universal with 95 percent of children aged 7 – 15 enrolled. Disparities exist among ethnic groups, with estimated 97 percent Kosovo Albanians, 95 percent Kosovo Serbs. Only 87 percent Roma, 11 Ashkalia, Egyptian, Turk, Bosnian, Gorani and Croat communities enrolled .

Further vulnerabilities exist for children with special needs among whom less than 10 percent are enrolled in primary school, according to available estimates.

10. Micronutrient Status Survey, 2001, NIPH, INRAN, UNICEF 11. HDIs 2003 and HBS 2002

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Percentage of students registered in 10th grade compared to students registered in 9th grade in the previous year 2005/2006

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100

80

60

40

20

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Prizeren

Malisheve/Malisevo

Deçan/Decan

Female

Gjakovë/Djakovica

Male

Skenderaj/Srbica

Prishtinë/Pristina

Total

“I blame myself for not finishing school, not someone else. Family can also have some responsibilities since they don’t pay attention to your education and don’t take care of you. They could have educated us a bit, but they were working.” (Roma boy, 17- year- old, Obiliq/Obilic) Data on retention rates indicate a significant student drop out problem for Kosovo. Enrolment rates show that girls are disadvantaged at primary and secondary level. However, girls who do enrol, demonstrate more resilience in pursuing their education. Boys enjoy higher enrolment, however recent trends point to increasing drop outs among them as well.

12 Based on official data , the enrolment ratio between girls and boys varies by levels of education. Gender disparities become higher at upper secondary education level. . According to the same source, more boys than girls leave the primary (grades 1-5) and upper secondary (grades 10-12) education levels. For instance, 7 percent of boys compared to 4 percent of girls drop out from primary education, and 17 percent of boys compared to 9 percent of girls drop out from upper secondary education.

The table below shows some indications of why pupils leave school. It is not surprising that economic reasons are the primary factor influencing children to abandon their education. However sickness and disability are also often stated.

12. MEST/EMIS 2004-2007 school year database

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Why do pupils leave schools?

Reason for leaving school early Did not enjoy school Wanted to start working Economic reasons Due to sickness or disability Failed examination Other

By Percentage 17 15.4 33.6 18.9 9.8 4.8

Source: ILO 2007.

Despite not being mentioned in the table below, one practical reason often raised is the transportation particularly for girls as parents fear for the lack of safety.

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Education of minority children “I was in the classroom and went out during the break. Some Albanians came and asked me where I’m from. I told them and they asked why did I come from Skenderaj. (and said) Go back where you came from. I’m here because Serbs burnt out my house during the war so we had to come here. They beat me up. Because of that, I’m here in Fushe Kosova and not there and even though I told them this they continued beating me up. I continued to try to go to school. When they broke my leg and injured my hand and stabbed me with a screwdriver I was forced to leave school. Afterward I went to school and said I wanted to come back again but they told me they won’t accept me because I was absent a lot even though I had a doctor’s statement.” (Roma boy, 17- year-old)

Minority children have not been adequately integrated into the education system.

There are parallel structures for education, health and social welfare for the different communities in Kosovo. By keeping children separated by ethnicity these parallel structures reveal a very narrow conception of multi-cultural schools. The language policies in schools do not encourage a multi-lingual society reflecting Kosovo demographics. It is a situation requiring careful consideration and political will.

The Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities are clearly the most disadvantaged and it is evident that these communities require systematic social, economic and educational support over the next generations. The Roma specifically have the

added challenge of having to learn another language to attend school. The Gorani, Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian communities each have different needs and require special measures and support to ensure their inclusion into Kosovan society.

Children with special needs education are not fully included in the Kosovo education system A particularly vulnerable group is children with special needs. The Kosovo education system supports inclusion of children with special needs by providing education services in seven special schools, which are being transformed into resource centres, attached classes organized within primary schools and regular classes.

Special needs education of children is regulated in compliance with the Law of Primary and Secondary Education in Kosovo, stating responsibilities of Municipalities to provide educational services within the Municipal budget limits.

However, the right of every child with special needs to receive education without discrimination is still far from being granted in practice. A combination of lack of opportunities for children with special needs education, a culture of keeping these children at home and negative societal attitudes effectively prevent any major efforts of inclusion. Insufficient policy support and commitment to overcome the marginalisation of children with special needs are reflected in inaccessible school facilities and lack of transportation. Further investments in teachers’ training to adapt and apply the curricula to children’s special learning needs, is essential.

Challenges of the education system The challenges related to institutional and administrative aspects of the education system need to be solved by focusing on the issues that affect children most. For instance, unclear accountabilities related to budget allocation and expenditure continues to hinder the delivery of quality education services and response to the most vulnerable groups. The reforms in education should be supported by adequately trained teachers and school administrators. School infrastructure is in poor condition, children lack school textbooks, and other learning materials. School transportation and safe accessibility remain critical issues.

Social exclusion of women and girls In Kosovo 60 percent of women have only basic education a primary factor which accounts for their low participation in public and economic life. This social exclusion is particularly acute in rural areas.

“I think they used to discriminate even more and we are still far from being equal, even though things started to get better.” (Albanian female, 17-year-old)

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17 Illiteracy continues to be widespread. 14 percent of rural women compared to 4 percent of rural men are illiterate. Another 12, 5 percent admit being functionally illiterate. In other words, one in four rural women do not know how to read a doctor’s prescription, how to vote, request a birth certificate from the municipality, add up prices at a local market or read a bedtime story to their children. Of those women who do complete secondary school, 93 percent from rural areas are unemployed.

Women’s unemployment is over 60 percent, a rate which is considerably behind the rest of Europe. Three quarters of all private income is earned by men. Of the wages women do earn, 58 percent are wages from the public sector, 20 percent from pensions and social welfare and a minimal 2 percent from business and 13 agriculture .Without active labour market policies for women’s employment, a further reduction in the number of civil servants would have a devastating effect on women’s access to jobs and family income.

Women in Kosovo are the largest untapped economic resource. Investments in core skills and lifelong learning, are key. Failure to enhance the employability of rural women will keep Kosovo trapped in a vicious cycle of underdevelopment and rural poverty. Lacking basic literacy and numeracy skills, the majority of Kosovo women are effectively excluded from the labour market. Two out of three women of working age are economically inactive; only 9 percent of women 13. SOK, Social Statistics, 2003- 2005

18 have a wage job. The share of women-owned businesses is only 9 percent. The situation is even more dramatic among low-skilled women; less than 5 percent of women without secondary school education had a job in 2006.

It’s not that females don’t get educated, but if they apply for a job with a boy, then the boy gets the job because they think he works harder than a girl. Which might not be true, because it can be that girls work more than boys. (Albanian girl, 16- year- old)

Young people do not know enough about healthy behaviour One third of school children aged 13 to 15 have smoked cigarettes. Alcohol consumption is more prevalent among 19 to 24 year olds, primarily males. Drugs of all types, including heroine, are increasingly available in Kosovo. There is evidence that younger users are beginning to inject, which increases their risk of lethal overdose. High levels of needle sharing (28 percent) expose young people 14 to increased risks of Hepatitis B & C and HIV infection .Beyond the pressing health concerns, increased drug use among young people can lead to critical social and economic repercussions. Despite these impending threats, the 14. HIV/STI Behavioral and Biological Surveillance Study 2006

response from the government and civil society has been weak, with scarce drug prevention programmes, absence of harm reduction services and no comprehensive government policy.

Despite the fact that Kosovo is considered a low HIV/AIDS prevalence area, with infection rates below 0, 1 percent, the presence of risk factors suggests that the rate may increase in the future. The population in Kosovo is young and sexually active, with a limited level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and low condom use.

According to the Reproductive Health Survey 2003, only 66 percent of women age 15-24 have identified condom use as a way to prevent HIV transmission.

High unemployment and income poverty, the increasing injected drug use, commercial sex work, and high migration patterns aggravate the risk for increased HIV infection. Limited access to specialized services, combined with stigma related to HIV/AIDS and prejudice against high risk groups further exacerbate risks of transmission and prevent identification and treatment.

Children are not fully protected against poverty, abuse and exploitation 19

Yes, there are differences. The poor one stays away from others because he/she is in need and goes to school barefooted, while those who have incomes go to school with shoes and are well dressed. (Roma boy, 14- year- old) In Kosovo, cases of child trafficking are still recorded and violence against children in schools is condoned. Child protection systems are still weak and do not detect or adequately respond to abuse and exploitation of children. This results in conflicting reports and underestimation of child protection issues. The Kosovo government has 69 cases of trafficking on record, 58 of whom are 15 children However the International Office of Migration has records of assisting 16 474 victims of trafficking including children . Violence in schools is a worrying problem. Thirty seven percent of adolescent children consider violence in schools to be a widespread phenomenon, 75 percent of children say violence happens in the street, while 24 percent of school children report that they have been 17 physically hurt by other children .

Recent survey results show that 8.3 percent of Kosovo households have failed to register the birth of (some of) their children, however among Roma Ashkalia and Egyptian communities the percentages of children under the age of 18 who are not registered is alarming. In the Albanian majority area of Mitrovica, the rate of non-registration among these communities is 33 percent, with 20 percent non-registration in Serb-majority areas.

The current range of child protection services is limited and the quality is not systematically monitored. There is an on-going decentralization process for social services, however the level at which services are managed is not the sole issue from a child rights perspective. Equally pressing is a need for improved capacity 15. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, 2007 16. International Organization for Migration Kosovo, Counter-trafficking unit 17. UNICEF, Violence in Schools Study 2006

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to ensure quality child protection services and to provide services at the local level. This is further exacerbated by limited funding in the area of social services which is not projected to change in the medium term.

Poverty is at the root of welfare problems for children in Kosovo. The latest Kosovo Poverty Assessment indicates that poverty and extreme poverty have not decreased over the last five years. It is estimated that over 100,000 children under 14 in Kosovo live on less than one Euro per day. Many of them are engaged in some form of child labour, on the street or on farms. Children work on the streets in Kosovo by street vending, transporting goods and begging.

A nine-year-old K- Albanian boy is witness to child labourers and a beggar girl: Out in the market where we buy food, there are young kids who work carrying things. I also saw a girl with a child begging. She gave one man 5 Euros and another man gave her a cigarette.

Children in conflict with the law

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According to the Kosovo Police Service, from July 2006 – June 2007, children were suspected of committing 4.723 criminal offences .These numbers almost double those of the previous year, however the number of children actually charged with committing offences has risen at a much slower rate. Based on available population data the rate is significantly higher than that of other Western Balkan countries although it is low compared to western European countries. Kosovo does have an advanced law which incorporates international and European standards on juvenile justice. However the justice professionals are not yet exhausting the full range of protective measures contained in the law.

Continuous efforts and resource allocation are needed to implement the law and make sure the rights of children in the justice system are protected.

GOVERNANCE FOR CHILDREN Donor assistance has not focused on children The overall aid environment is critical for improving children’s welfare. Donor cooperation has not been sufficiently targeted at health, education or social protection services leaving the Kosovo Government with few additional funds to support Kosovo’s own revenue sources. One third of all external aid in Kosovo is directed at Justice and Home Affairs, while less than 3 percent is channelled towards education and health.

Combined, this has undoubtedly hindered improvements in child welfare given that public expenditure on child related sectors has a direct effect on school quality and enrolment, health and access to potable water. The marginalised populations such as Roma, Ashkalia, and Egyptian, people living in extreme poverty, children with special needs, are far more affected by the limited public resources.

Only about 2-3 percent of development aid is directed at children and youth.

Donor contributions to basic social services are minimal, scattered, off-budget and not institutionally anchored. Cooperation is generally based on fairly traditional project-type management often with ‘parallel’ management structures outside and independent of the administrative structures in ministries and municipalities.

Small and centralised government resource base The tight Kosovo budget, small municipal grants and very weak municipal revenue sources make reforms difficult and at times, impossible to achieve goals and targets within a reasonable timeframe. Introduction of reliable, municipal own revenues are planned for, but not yet in full operation. Municipal revenues, albeit small, are often directed towards the urgent needs of children, but a centralised administrative structure makes it difficult to find relevant and legal solutions.

Decentralisation of basic social services The ongoing decentralisation process to improve the system of basic social service delivery is commendable. While the process has been slow, initiatives have been taken to improve this among central government, municipalities and dedicated donors. Significant fiscal decentralization is necessary in order for Kosovo to reach the standards set out in the European Declaration on Local SelfGovernance.

Cut-backs in public employment hinder service delivery The cuts in public employment have made the situation worse for the delivery of services for education, particularly pre-school education, and primary health care and quite seriously for employment services. The over-all donor support to Kosovo has not yet contributed substantially to alleviation of the severe social and economic crisis that will persist for a number of years.

Cooperation is generally based on fairly traditional project-type management often with ‘parallel’ management structures outside and independent of the

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administrative structures in ministries and municipalities. Driven by the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Kosovo Government and donors/stakeholders are committed to move away from scattered and fragmented interventions towards a more coherent and consolidated approach at sector level. The education sector may be the first to benefit from such an approach. That is why MEST, supported financially by SIDA, is in the process of initiating a feasibility study to provide the decision makers in the Kosovo Government and education sector development partners with sufficient information to make strategic choices in the design of joint sector - wide education interventions.

The municipal level Observations from municipalities point to relatively well-functioning serviceproviding organisations. However, the municipalities are hampered by lack of fiscal resources, lack of service staff at professional levels and an overcentralised management of the basic service sectors. According to the Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLGA) not less than 47 laws need to be amended or repealed in the coming decentralisation process. The main issue remains for the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MFE) and line ministries to decentralise finances. The Mid-term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) does not indicate increased fiscal decentralisation. Recommendations from the Ahtisaari 18 proposal on the status of Kosovo call for a high degree of autonomy. This implies that services for children and youth in the future may vary from municipality to municipality.

We should fight poverty by getting educated and finding jobs. Only with hard work and education can we fight poverty. If we can help people be educated, there will be less poverty. “(15-year-old Roma female) 18. The proposal of Mr Marti Ahtisaari, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Kosovo, called for supervised independence in Kosovo. The proposal became obsolete when in mid-2007, the Security Council failed to consider the package given the threat of a Russian veto.

Other UNICEF studies on the pipeline: 1.

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The Situation of Children and Youth in Kosovo – (long version) ‘What children and youth say about poverty’ – Child poverty study Statistical Data on Education in Kosovo for the period 2004-2007 ‘Getting to Lisbon’ - Assessing Vocational Training needs and Job creation opportunities for Rural Women Study on Special Needs Education Birth Registration Study Juvenile Justice Study Perinatal Report for 2007 Antenatal Care survey for 2008 Situation Analysis of Mother and Child health and nutrition status.

Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Behaviour on HIV/AIDS with Young People.

Rapid Assessment and Response on Drug Use.

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