Afërdita Bytyqi is the first woman to become president of the Basic Court of Pristina, the largest court in Kosovo.
Sebastian Lindstrom for USAID
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels
The United States is committed to transparent and accountable government of, for, and by the people as the best way for nations to realize lasting peace, prosperity, and human dignity. We support strengthening the rule of law and support for human rights defenders at home and abroad. To advance SDG 16, we will partner with any nation that shares our basic belief that the rules-based order and respect for human rights must remain the foundation for global peace and prosperity.
In Kosovo, USAID’s Justice System Strengthening Program is strengthening justice and the rule of law by improving the judiciary’s efficiency, accountability, and professionalism. Project efforts to increase accountability and integrity have resulted in mandatory continuing legal education for all judges in Kosovo; nearly 60 percent of judges have been trained on a code of ethics.
In pushing for greater transparency, USAID helped Kosovo’s courts increase the number of final judgments that are posted online for public access, from about 80 decisions published in 2016 to nearly 8,000 just two years later.
By partnering with local leaders like Afërdita (pictured), USAID is helping Kosovo on its journey to becoming a resilient, citizen-responsive democracy.