A people-centered approach is helping Kosovo institutions to identify and address citizens' needs. Recently, with USAID support, the Basic Court of Ferizaj and Mitrovica installed tactile pavements to improve access to courts for blind people who, in the past, relied on additional assistance from their relatives or friends.
"People who accompany us at times have their responsibilities, and we are dependent on them,” said Mrs. Rabishe Hasimi. Mrs. Hasimi is one of 11,000 blind Kosovans who depended on others to access court services. "Right now [due to tactile pavement], we have easy access to enter the court, and we can seek services on our own," stated Mrs. Hasimi, as she received her case number at the court support desk.
Daut Hoxha, a blind person and a graduate of the Faculty of Law, was able to access the court services in the Ferizaj Basic Court independently for the first time.
He felt empowered as he said proudly: "I applied for a criminal record certificate, as requested from a potential employer, and the procedure ran smoothly. On previous occasions, I had to be accompanied by a professional carer or a family member to receive any court service, which for any blind person was difficult."
USAID, through Justice Activity in Kosovo, is working with courts to respond to citizens' needs by developing court plans that promote access to justice. Tactile pavements coupled with additional efforts, such as parking spaces for persons with disabilities and tablets for the deaf are new features for Kosovo courts aimed to remove barriers to access justice and to ensure that every Kosovan can use and benefit from the services to which they are entitled.
Chemonics for USAIDKosovo