Shpresa is a teenage girl who feels most alive on the football field, chasing the ball and imagining her future. Like many girls her age, she has dreams and plans - but her ambitions collide with the weight of expectations that she should marry young. Her story lies at the heart of Romni, a short film produced by UNMIK and used as a catalyst for dialogue on early and forced marriage.

Produced in 2020, the film has continued to reach new audiences in recent months both in Kosovo and internationally.

Around 300 young people, together with their parents, gathered in three locations across Kosovo to watch the film, reflect on its message and engage in conversations about early and forced marriage. The screenings were organized by the NGO Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians as part of the global 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls campaign.

While early marriage affects many communities around the world, it continues to be particularly prevalent among Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo.

The screenings created a rare, shared space for families to sit side by side, confront a difficult reality and reflect together. They are a continuation of a series of community-based events designed to open intergenerational conversations about early marriage and its long-term consequences.

Speaking on a panel following a screening in Pristina, UNMIK spokesperson Hayat Abu-Saleh noted that early marriage is not confined to any community or culture, but is a reality found across many societies. “My mother was married at the age of 16,” she said.
“That was a different time, and much has changed since then – but the issue still exists and the lives of young girls – and boys – are being shaped by decisions that are not their own.”

Early and forced marriage remains a sensitive social and human-rights issue in Kosovo. According to 2020 research by UNICEF Kosovo Programme and the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, an estimated one in 25 women and one in 50 men in Kosovo are married before the age of 18. Within Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, the figures are significantly higher, affecting approximately one in three women and one in ten men.

The conversation around Romni has travelled far beyond local screening rooms. The film was also shown at the UN’s International Virtual Film Festival, where viewers from around the world watched Shpresa’s story unfold. The screening was followed by a panel discussion on ending early marriage, turning a short film into a global conversation about the futures of girls everywhere.

Speaking during the online event, Elizabeth Gowing, a long-standing human rights activist in Kosovo, highlighted the importance of community-led action. “This practice risks the health, education and access to employment of hundreds of young women every year,” she said, underscoring the need for stronger cooperation between institutions and civil society.

Roma activist Almedina Skenderi spoke at multiple screenings from firsthand experience. For her, ending early marriage is not an abstract goal, but a deeply personal responsibility.  “It is about protecting our girls’ rights and dignity,” she said, calling families, communities, and institutions to share that responsibility.

Produced in close collaboration with the communities most affected, Romni is used as a tool to drive conversations that will lead to long-term change.