UNMIK/PR/184
In its first mission assigned with forming a shared administration, the United Nations has a unique opportunity in Kosovo to promote the participation of women in governance.
UNMIK's Office of Gender Affairs, working closely with the Democratization unit of the OSCE, and with UNIFEM, has actively promoted the appointment of women in positions of leadership, both in the Kosovo Transitional Council and the Joint Interim Administrative Structures. SRSG Bernard Kouchner has also made the appointment of women a priority for the year 2000. Several women have been named to new structures, and more are being appointed at the municipal level.
We would like to take this moment to recognize the first women who have appointments in the new, interim, shared administration for Kosovo.
Kosovo Co-Heads for Administration Departments
Mrs. Nekibe Kelmendi, Co-Head of the Department of Justice, is a lawyer by profession and the Secretary-General of the LDK Party.
Ms. Vjosa Dobruna, co-head of the Department of Democratic Governance and Civil Society Support, is a pediatrician. She was the co-founder of the Center for Protection for Women and Children in Pristina. She was appointed as a political independent.
Ms. Edi Shukriu: co-head of the Department of Culture. An archaeologist, she is the chairwoman of the LDK Women’s League.
UNMIK Co-Heads
Sylvie Pantz: co-head of the Department of Justice Co-Head and Head of UNMIK’s Judicial Affairs Department. Before joining UNMIK, she served for four years as chief of investigations for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and has been a magistrate in France for 20 years
Blanca Antonini: Co-head of the Department of Local Administration and UNMIK's Chief of Staff of Civil Administration. She worked previously in the UN Secretary-General's executive office as a policy advisor on political developments in the Americas, human rights and gender issues.
Onelia Cardettini: Co-head of the Department of the Environment and UNMIK Municipal Administrator in Mitrovica. Previously she was regional director of the OSCE in Tuzla and deputy director of the regional OSCE office in Croatia.
Steffi Schnoor: co-head of the Department of Education and Science, she has served as a member of parliament and Secretary of State for Education, Science, Culture, Youth and Sports in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Kosovo Transitional Council
Political Representatives
Kaqusha Jashari: Chairwoman of PSDK (Social Democratic Party of Kosovo);
Luleta Pula-Beqiri: Representing the PSDK (Social Democratic Party of Kosovo), she is a chemist and human rights activist
Civil Society/Independents
Shukrie Rexha: Association of Political Prisoners Chairwoman?? Anything else?
Sevdije Ahmeti: Center for the Protection of Women and Children
Sonja Nikolic: A journalist and human rights activist, she helped to create and maintain the Civic House and Radio Contact in Pristina.
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Ms. Justina Shiroka-Pula, a Professor of Economics at Pristina University, also spoke at today's reception. She is a leading member of the Kosovo academic community.