About UNMIK Human Rights Office

UNMIK established a human rights office (UNMIK HRO) in July 2016 to fulfil its mandate under UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) to promote and protect human rights for all people in Kosovo [1] through active engagement with Kosovo institutions and civil society organisations.

UNMIK HRO represents the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Kosovo and is part of the United Nations Kosovo Team in that capacity.

UNMIK HRO aims to promote and strengthen the implementation of international and regional human rights standards in Kosovo, and its work in this regard focuses on:

  • Supporting the implementation of directly applicable regional and international human rights instruments as referred to in the Kosovo constitution through technical assistance and capacity-building of Kosovo institutions and other relevant stakeholders. 
  • Monitoring the evolving human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and advocating for placing human rights at the heart of the COVID-19 response and recovery to build back better.
  • Promoting trust and fostering dialogue between diverse communities in Kosovo through human rights outreach activities and education, to empower people in Kosovo to stand up for their rights and the rights of others on a wide range of issues such as gender-based violence, tolerance and non-discrimination, access to justice and language rights.
  • Supporting the work of United Nations and European human rights mechanisms in Kosovo by promoting their interactions and engagement with Kosovo authorities in coordination with the UN Kosovo Team and other international organisations and following up on the implementation of their recommendations by Kosovo authorities to advance the realisation of human rights for all.
  • Supporting a victim-centred and human rights approach to transitional justice processes, regarding the process of clarifying the fate of missing persons and the process of verifying the status of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
  • Enhancing public participation and civic space through regular engagement with local civil society actors and other stakeholders and supporting local authorities to ensure a human rights-based approach to sustainable development.

Areas of work