4.3 Mission in Kosovo From 2 to 8 June, the Mission organized four communication and co-ordination workshops8 for members of future MCSCs in northern municipalities, and open-day advocacy workshops with schoolchildren in primary schools in these municipalities. Aiming to strengthen the prospects of establishing MCSCs in the near future and empower individual advocacy capacities of potential MCSCs members, the Mission equipped participants with advanced knowledge and skills on inter-sectorial communication and coordination, and inter-municipal co-operation on community safety improvements. Formal workshops covered a simulation exercise with hands-on techniques in problem analysis and problem-solving, including the practical tools and strategies for improved MCSCs efficiency. Over 400 schoolchildren, 45 police officers, 15 fire fighters, four primary schools principals, proposed MCSCs co-ordinators and municipal officials, KP station commanders, LPSC chairpersons, representatives of civil society, media and other interest groups, attended the workshops. The nominated future MCSCs co-ordinators and the KP station commanders co-hosted informal and formal events, affirming the shared responsibility principle in community policing and community safety. On 22 November and 5 December, the DHRC of the Mission organized workshops on strengthening the co-operation between religious communities and local safety forums, aiming to discuss inter-faith and inter-ethnic relations, diversity, co-existence and tolerance, hate crimes and hate speech incidents, while highlighting the importance of inclusion of all religious representatives within MCSCs and their role in enhancing security and preventing incidents. The workshops gathered a total of 49 participants (44 men and five women) representing religious communities, KP (eight representatives), KFOR, MCSCs, municipal offices for communities and returns, village leaders, civil society representatives and youth from seven municipalities.9 The workshops concluded with participants agreeing on the importance of strengthening the relations between religious communities and the KP, especially with regard to the reporting of crimes and empowering the role of MCSCs in addressing security-related issues. On 13 December, the Mission facilitated an annual conference with mayors as MCSC chairpersons, organized by the MoIA. Municipal mayors and key community safety stakeholders at municipal levels, joined by members of the Steering Group for the Implementation of the Community Safety Strategy and Action Plan, exchanged information about the performance of MCSCs and 62 8 Workshops were held in Zubin Potok, Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Zvečan/Zveçan and Leposavić/Leposaviq municipalities. 9 Gjilan/Gnjilane, Klokot/Kllokot, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Rahovec/Orahovac and Suharekë/Suva Reka. developments in the implementation of the Strategy on Prevention of VERLT. Participants also discussed how to create stronger links and networks toward improved cooperation of community safety forums, leading to closer co-ordination with the central government. Participants included ministers and representatives of MoIA and Local Government Administration, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, mayors, municipal representatives and MCSC coordinators, KP experts and international stakeholders, and nominated municipal community safety co-ordinators from three northern municipalities, present at this annual event for the second time. The objective of the public awareness contribution was to improve the public image of MCSCs and promote the community safety and civil participation with empowered individual access and influence toward this advisory body. Gender-based and Domestic Violence From 15 February and 10 March, the DHRC of the Mission jointly with the Ministry of Education, Sciences and Technology and KP Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) held five informative sessions for directors of the municipal education directorates and directors of elementary and secondary schools, on gender-based violence in Prishtinë/Priština, Pejë/Peć, Prizren, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Gjilan/Gnjilane regions. The sessions involved around 133 participants (40 women and 93 men). The overall objective of the sessions was to develop awareness amongst educational institutions on their obligations pertaining to preventing genderbased violence in schools, specifically addressing the role of educational institutions in preventing such violence by identifying potential victims and reporting cases to the KP. Through case studies and interactive discussion, representatives of educational institutions discussed ways to develop internal policies to prevent sexual harassment in the school and strengthen a triangle of co-operation among teachers, parents and school psychologists in preventing and treating cases of gender-based violence. There was high demand for organizing roundtable discussions with school representatives on different school problems, including safety in the school, role of school psychologists or pedagogues on treating cases of gender-based violence and the ways how to develop policy documents on preventing sexual harassment in the school and reporting gender-based violence to the KP. From March to May, the DHRC of the Mission and the Ministry of Health and the KP, co-organized five regional workshops for health care providers on how to identify, refer and treat victims of domestic violence. The workshops were held in Pejë/Peć, Gjakovë/Ðakovica, Prishtinë/Priština, Prizren and Gjilan/Gjnilane regions. Representatives of the KP DVU, doctors and nurses from regional hospitals, emergency and main family health care centres, participated