Research and publications
Our publications form part of ECMI Kosovo’s continuing work with communities and institutions. They include original research, political and legal analysis, practical handbooks and guides for people working on rights and public responsibilities.
The collection spans more than two decades. Earlier studies provide evidence and analysis from their period, while the issues they address continue through our programmes, community engagement and institutional cooperation. Each publication keeps its original date and credits. Browse by subject, resource type or publication year to find material relevant to your work.
Selected reports are available to download. Others can be requested from ECMI Kosovo. See Using our research for citation and reuse guidance.
88 publications
Justice, equality and access to services
Programme archive
A trilingual handbook from the EU-funded programme setting out the rights of vulnerable and marginalised groups under Kosovo law, and the remedies and institutions available. The December 2012 edition runs to 208 pages and was written for legal-aid providers and paralegals.
Justice, equality and access to services
Evaluation report
Evaluates whether public institutions — human-rights mechanisms, administration, education, healthcare, prosecution, judiciary and police — train their staff on LGBTI rights, using a questionnaire to institutions and the recommendations of the Advisory and Coordination Group for the Rights of the LGBT Community.
Language, education and diploma verification
Research report
A baseline on availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability of education for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children in Fushë Kosovë, from pre-school to adult literacy, covering physical, economic, administrative and gender obstacles, children out of school, teacher qualifications and child labour, with recommendations.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Policy brief
Proposes a joint board for the two Mitrovica municipalities as a practical mechanism for shared services and cooperation across the divided city.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Research report
Maps the human-rights protection mechanisms for communities at central, municipal and independent level and assesses the training offered to civil servants, the judiciary and the police on community rights and non-discrimination, including the Kosovo Institute for Public Administration and the Police Academy, with recommendations for a community-rights curriculum.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Programme archive
A short guidebook for civil-society organisations on the legal routes for taking part in public decision-making in Kosovo — consultation, petitions, legislative initiative, municipal mechanisms — produced in the EU-funded project “Empowering Civil Society to Participate…” with Swiss FDFA support.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Working paper
Proposes a monitoring and evaluation system for community rights in Kosovo: which rights and attributes to monitor, indicators and sources of verification, responsible bodies, cycle and publication, drawing on the United Kingdom as a comparative case.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Programme archive
A report on consultations with Serb women about decentralisation, local priorities and participation in the future municipalities south of the Ibar.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Programme archive
A trilingual photo-reportage by young participants in ECMI Kosovo’s Diversity Is Opportunity project, presented at the closing conference in Gračanica/Graçanicë on 31 March 2016.
Language, education and diploma verification
Programme archive
A 77-page guide for civil-society organisations on advocating for minority education in their municipalities, produced in the UNICEF-supported pilot “Improving the Service Delivery and Minority Rights Awareness at the Municipal and Civil Society levels” in Ferizaj/Uroševac, Peja/Peć and Prizren. It explains the education system, the rights framework, how to build a case and how to work with municipal officials.
Language, education and diploma verification
Two research reports
Paired studies from the UNICEF pilot in Ferizaj, Peja and Prizren on what municipal education officials and community organisations knew and could do about minority education, which fed the 2010 manual and guidebook.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Research and studies
An assessment of voluntary returns, housing, funding and public services under Kosovo’s 2009–2013 Strategy for Communities and Returns.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Policy report
This report examines women’s representation on corporate boards in Kosovo and how gender quotas are implemented. It draws on interviews and publicly available data to identify barriers and make recommendations.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Research report
Reviews how Kosovo Police respond to reports of domestic and sexual violence against the legal framework and standard operating procedures, drawing on interviews and case material, with recommendations to the Police, prosecution and the Agency for Gender Equality.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Political and policy analysis
Three policy briefs on decentralisation, employment and school returns in Dragash/Dragaš.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Guidebook
The guidebook draws on ECMI Kosovo’s experience recruiting, training and supporting community-based paralegals. It describes their roles and offers practical recommendations for improving access to justice for minority communities, including women facing gender-based violence.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Guidebook
A practical guide for civil society organisations in northern Kosovo. It covers how to identify an issue, involve community members and allies, plan a campaign and engage institutions, with examples from Kosovo.
Justice, equality and access to services
Handbooks and guides
Guidance on birth, marriage and death registration in English, Albanian and Serbian.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Guidebook
Practical guidance on reporting, confidentiality, safety and referrals for community-based paralegals working on gender-based violence.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Handbook
Practical information for foreign workers, employers and supporting organisations on entry, residence, employment rights and the institutions that can help in Kosovo.
Justice, equality and access to services
Handbook
A practical handbook on fundamental rights for community-based paralegals: the rights most often at issue for vulnerable and marginalised groups, the procedures for asserting them and the institutions to approach. Companion to the Handbook for Paralegals on Kosovo institutions (already in the catalogue) and the Legal Handbook on the legislative framework.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Handbook
Explains what sexual harassment is under Kosovo's law, employers' obligations, and the steps an employee can take to report and seek protection, for use by employers, human-resources staff and workers.
Justice, equality and access to services
Policy paper
Reviews Kosovo's human-rights strategies and the drafting of a single umbrella strategy for 2016–2022, including the role of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance as a human-rights tool. Proposes principles, structure and priorities for the strategy and recommendations for the Office of Good Governance and the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Group on Human Rights.
Justice, equality and access to services
Discussion paper
Discusses how the international instruments made directly applicable by Article 22 of the Constitution are applied by Kosovo's institutions and courts, and what their implementation requires in practice.
Language, education and diploma verification
Programme archive
A 78-page manual documenting the 2011–2012 Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje experience of implementing the education component of the municipal action plan for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities: attendance and dropout data, outreach to families, supplementary learning and training for officials, with good practices and recommendations for other municipalities.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Research report
The first ECMI study of informal waste collection, in Prishtina, Lipjan, Fushë Kosovë, Obiliq and Gračanica, produced in the EU-funded recycling collective project. The 2019 ERAC report builds on it.
Justice, equality and access to services
Programme archive
Explains, for members of vulnerable and marginalised groups and the organisations assisting them, what the Constitutional Court does, who may bring a referral, the admissibility conditions and the procedure, with examples. Produced in the EU-funded programme “Enhancing the Positive Impact of the Law for Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups in Kosovo”.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Policy paper
This policy paper examines the laws, institutions and services available to minority women facing gender-based violence in Kosovo. It identifies barriers in practice and recommends improvements to protection, referrals and survivor support.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Political and policy analysis
ECMI Kosovo’s short monitoring briefs on events affecting communities, published between May 2015 and March 2016. The series covers access to services, participation and education, incidents affecting minority communities, and the Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Handbooks and guides
An Albanian CARES 2 booklet for recording information from antenatal appointments and keeping personal notes.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Programme archive
A step-by-step guide for municipal officials on turning an adopted action plan for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities into budgeted, assigned and monitored activities.
Justice, equality and access to services
Research report
Reports how the pandemic measures affected members of minority communities in Kosovo — information in community languages, access to health and social support, education and employment — and what a rights-based response required.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Political analysis
Analyses the composition and role of minority political parties after the June 2014 parliamentary elections, including the effects of the normalisation process on Kosovo Serb parties and the position of the other communities’ parties.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Policy paper
Examines the challenges facing small and medium enterprises owned or managed by members of minority communities and vulnerable and marginalised groups in Kosovo. It considers access to finance, municipal support and business networks, and offers recommendations for integrating these enterprises into the wider economy.
Language, education and diploma verification
Research report
Reports the 2013 pilot that applied a matrix of indicators to the Assembly’s language services, staffing, resources and the quality of legislative translation, as the basis for the monitoring tools later used at municipal and central level.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Research report
The assessment examines how access to education, work and services shapes minority women’s vulnerability to gender-based violence in Kosovo. It informed community-based paralegal support, skills training and awareness-raising in four municipalities.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Report
Describes the nomination and accreditation process through which community civil-society organisations and representatives were selected for the first Consultative Council for Communities in 2008–2009. It records the support provided by ECMI Kosovo and the outcomes of the process.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Two survey reports
Paired surveys of citizens and of civil servants on experiences and perceptions of discrimination in employment and the labour market, published with the Office on Good Governance as a baseline for anti-discrimination policy.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Research report
Examines small and medium enterprises in the newly decentralised municipalities, the central legal framework for local economic development, the municipalities' regulatory and information role and business owners' perceptions of municipal support and business associations.
Justice, equality and access to services
Research report
Examines how incidents that may be ethnically motivated are defined, recorded and prosecuted in Kosovo, drawing on the Criminal Code, Kosovo Police reporting procedures, State Prosecution classification, court practice and OSCE and EULEX monitoring. Case studies and interviews show gaps in data gathering and sharing and low community trust in justice mechanisms; recommendations address definition, reporting, data and prosecution.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Discussion paper
Written during the electoral-reform debate that followed the December 2010 elections, the paper argues that any reform must preserve the guaranteed representation and meaningful participation of minority communities, and sets out options under the legal framework in force.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Research report and action plan
The report examines women’s roles and barriers in waste collection and recycling in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje. Its action plan sets out how the Recycling Matters Activity could address those barriers and track progress.
Justice, equality and access to services
Research report
Examines the presence of Kosovo Serbs among the five free legal professions (lawyers, notaries, private enforcement agents, mediators and bankruptcy administrators), the licensing and examination requirements that affect access to these professions, and the consequences for Serbian-speaking clients' access to justice, with recommendations to the responsible chambers and the Ministry of Justice.
Justice, equality and access to services
Research report
Analyses the constitutional and legal position of same-sex couples in Kosovo, comparative European practice on civil partnership and marriage, and the views of institutions and the community, with recommendations for the Civil Code process.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Political and policy analysis
Three policy briefs on unemployment, municipal transparency and accountability, and youth and cultural activities in Anamorava/Pomoravlje.
Justice, equality and access to services
Research report
Reviews the legal framework on gender identity, civil status and healthcare, and reports a focus group with transgender people and interviews with social workers and healthcare professionals on knowledge, terminology, legal protection and the provision of services. Concludes with recommendations on training, procedures and legal recognition.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Research report and factsheets
A January 2013 study of socioeconomic conditions in Leposavić, Mitrovica North, Zubin Potok and Zvečan, based on a survey of 721 residents. The report and eight factsheets present perceptions about healthcare, education, social welfare and employment.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Report
An assessment, prepared after the declaration of independence, of the institutions created for communities by the Constitution and the Ahtisaari settlement and of what their establishment required, with recommendations to the Government and the Assembly.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Research report
The study examines people’s experiences with reintegration programmes and the barriers they faced. ECMI Kosovo discussed the findings with GIZ, the Employment Agency and participants on 31 May 2023.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Political analysis
Two 2015 analyses by Adrian Zeqiri and Pieter Troch examine what delayed implementation of the Association/Community and how a membership model defined by ethnicity could affect other communities.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Research report
A 41-page study of the reintegration of persons repatriated to Kosovo: definitions and estimates, the Strategy and Action Plan for Reintegration, the Regulation and reintegration programme, central and municipal mechanisms, and the lessons and remaining challenges.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Political and policy analysis
Jeta Bakija’s bulletin traces how ECMI Kosovo helped establish the Serb and Gorani Community Networks.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Research report
Surveys civil servants on gender-related training received in the previous three years, who provided it, which topics it covered and whether it is reflected in their involvement in policy-making, with recommendations to the Agency for Gender Equality and the Kosovo Institute for Public Administration.
Justice, equality and access to services
Political analysis
Examines how transitional-justice processes in Kosovo relate to minority rights and to the position of communities, and what a community-sensitive approach would require.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Programme archive
A report on the voter education campaign in four municipalities, including outreach to Serb, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Research report
Documents women's representation in the Government, ministries, Assembly, Presidency and municipalities for 2013–2016, with tables on leadership and senior leadership positions, against the legal framework on gender equality. Findings and recommendations were taken into consultations with the Agency for Gender Equality, the Ombudsperson and the Central Election Commission.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Curriculum and training manuals
A curriculum on human rights, gender equality and gender-based violence for high-school students and teachers. The student handbooks and teacher training manuals are available in Albanian, English and Serbian.
Language, education and diploma verification
Programme archive
Practical guidelines, drawn from February 2010 workshops with civil-society actors and municipal officials, on how the two can cooperate on minority education: shared planning, information exchange, joint monitoring and complaint routes. Companion to the municipal officials' manual already in the catalogue.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Handbook/manual
A 1,012-page compilation of lectures for the Youth Digital Entrepreneurship Academy in Prizren and Lezha, covering front-end and back-end development, Android app development and business management.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Research report
Examines ten Local Youth Action Councils, their structures and their activities in municipal executives, assemblies and consultative committees, the problems young people face locally and the level of cooperation between councils and municipalities, with recommendations for both.
Environment and recycling
Research report presented as full web text
Research on waste composition and waste-management arrangements in Peja, including field measurements and seasonal differences. It considers opportunities to reduce waste and improve how the municipal system handles and uses collected material.
Language, education and diploma verification
Research report
A study of Serbian-language education across secondary schools, the Academy for Applied Studies and the University of Mitrovica North. The report brings secondary and higher education into the same institutional picture.
Justice, equality and access to services
Handbook/manual
A guide to central, municipal and independent institutions involved in protecting human rights in Kosovo. It explains institutional responsibilities and routes for addressing concerns, including discrimination, gender equality and community affairs.
Justice, equality and access to services
Handbook/manual
A handbook for paralegals introducing Kosovo institutions involved in the promotion and protection of vulnerable and marginalised groups. It connects community-facing assistance with institutional responsibilities and routes for addressing rights concerns.
Environment and recycling
Research report / policy paper
Research on Kosovo’s waste-management system and the position of informal waste collectors, including working conditions, exclusion and rights concerns. It considers practical recommendations and the opportunities associated with social-enterprise arrangements.
Language, education and diploma verification
Research report
This report examines the network and conditions of Serbian-language primary and secondary education in Kosovo. Drawing on school visits, interviews and questionnaires, it considers facilities, teaching resources, participation and cooperation, and identifies needs for coordinated support.
Language, education and diploma verification
Policy paper / research report
Looks at municipal officials’ Serbian and Albanian language skills and practical ways to improve multilingual public services, drawing on ECMI training experience and comparative approaches.
Language, education and diploma verification
Policy paper / research report
Examines uneven linguistic quality in Kosovo legislation and its consequences for equal access to rights, with recommendations to improve Albanian and Serbian legal texts.
Language, education and diploma verification
Policy research
A policy study on inclusive education, school abandonment and non-enrolment, examining how schools and municipalities put prevention and response mechanisms into practice.
Justice, equality and access to services
Policy paper / research report
Research into barriers to citizenship, civil registration and freedom of movement faced by Kosovo Serbs and other non-majority communities, with recommendations for practical institutional solutions.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Policy brief/analysis
A policy brief examining developments around the proposed Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities and their political and institutional context. It explores the process through legal and policy analysis.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Policy report
A report proposing a practical model for the Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities through inter-municipal cooperation. It combines legal and comparative analysis with interviews to examine service coordination, municipal accountability and community safeguards, and develops recommendations for the framework and establishment process.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Policy brief/analysis
An analysis of the legal framework relevant to the proposed Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities. It examines the scope for competences and institutional arrangements through the legal provisions considered in the report.
Language, education and diploma verification
Two practical manuals (municipal and school versions)
Practical tools for municipal and school teams working to prevent dropout and non-enrolment, prepared with UNICEF and the education ministry. The materials support team responsibilities and early-warning processes for identifying and responding to risks.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Research report/study
A baseline study of gender-based violence and domestic violence in minority-community settings. Drawing on fieldwork, it examines experiences and responses to inform programme work and cooperation with institutions and specialist organisations.
Language, education and diploma verification
Practical legal guidebook
A practical explanation of Kosovo’s language-rights framework, institutional duties and complaint routes, developed through cooperation between the Office of the Language Commissioner and ECMI Kosovo. It connects legal requirements with examples of implementation.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Professional guidebook
An introduction for professionals to Kosovo’s communities, their circumstances, legal rights, political representation and the institutions responsible for protection. The guide combines community background with practical institutional and legal reference material.
Economic inclusion, employment and migration
Programme-based research and advocacy report
A report prepared by ECMI Kosovo and RROGRAEK drawing on a women’s economic-empowerment programme supported by UN Women, UNDP and the EU. It examines participants’ socioeconomic circumstances and the experience of entrepreneurship training and coaching.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Institutional guidebook
A guide for institutions conducting research and developing community-related policies. It addresses methodological questions and arrangements for obtaining evidence and engaging external expertise, linking research practice with institutional decision-making.
Justice, equality and access to services
Community rights booklet
An accessible account of community rights organised by issue, followed by guidance on using institutional complaints procedures. It is designed for communities and their members rather than only specialist readers.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Policy brief/analysis
An analysis of population census results and the questions they raised for minority communities. The brief considers limits of coverage, community concerns and implications for planning, representation and rights-related provisions.
Gender equality and women’s rights
Policy brief
A joint ECMI Kosovo and CLARD policy brief on delays in issuing protection orders in domestic-violence cases. It examines judicial response against the legal time limits applicable at the time.
Language, education and diploma verification
Policy brief
A policy brief examining segregated education affecting Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children in Kosovo. It explains the issue, reviews relevant domestic and international law and develops recommendations in the context of cases reported to ECMI.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Handbook/manual
A practical explanation of Kosovo’s legislative process for bodies representing communities in political and institutional participation. It was developed with Swiss support and draws on engagement with the Consultative Council for Communities and other institutional actors.
Language, education and diploma verification
Handbook/manual
A manual for municipal officials addressing education for minority communities. Prepared through ECMI’s UNICEF-supported pilot, it links municipal responsibilities, minority-rights awareness and cooperation between officials and civil-society actors.
Justice, equality and access to services
Handbook/manual
A practical explanation of fair-trial rights in Kosovo’s criminal proceedings, covering pre-trial, trial and appeal stages. It was developed to help non-majority communities understand their rights and can also support trial monitoring.
Communities, institutions and political participation
Institutional assessment report
An assessment of the Council’s structure, resources and performance of its mandate. It combines documentary review with interviews involving Council members and community representatives, and develops recommendations for institutional functioning.
Justice, equality and access to services
Handbook/manual
A practical guide to the legal framework affecting minority communities, covering community rights, local self-government, language use, education, protection from discrimination and gender equality.
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