Woman Association Medica Gjakova (MG) aims to improve the physical and mental health of women survivors of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) during the war in Kosovo. It supports their role in society and helps them integrate into all areas of public life.

Its work is based on a twin strategy combining direct services and advocacy work. The direct services involve psychosocial counselling, gynaecological care, legal advice and economic empowerment. The association's advocacy work covers political and human rights and awareness raising at national and local levels on the issue of sexual violence.

Main projects

Supporting survivors of sexual and gender based violence: women’s self help group accessing rights to health, justice and social systems in Kosovo.

The project targets a group of up to 1,600 women in the Dukagjini region in Western Kosovo affected by rape or other forms of SBGV, including women from ethnic minorities. The focal point of the work is to provide trauma sensitive and gender specific approaches to healthcare, legal advice, advocacy and public awareness work, as well as help the women generate their own income.

Empowering women victims of sexual violence and torture during conflict in Kosovo.

This project sought to increase effectiveness in protecting the needs of the victims of sexual violence and torture, as well as improving the overall social and psychological functioning of the target group in the most affected areas of Kosovo. 50 victims of rape have been treated with a multidisciplinary approach.

Major achievements:

• Establishing 15 self-help groups (6-8 women per group) where women are able to overcome their experiences of violence.
• Establishing a Women's cooperative, Duart e Dardanes, and a shop selling agricultural products and competing successfully in the market.
• About 1,200 women from project areas have access to trauma sensitive, gynaecological care, psychosocial counselling and legal advice.
• Increasing knowledge about and sensitivity to women’s rights and the situation faced by survivors of sexualized violence.