UNMIK/FR/027/01
FEATURE RELEASE - 13 April,
2001
Social Change
Kosovar Society Needs Bridges of
Reconciliation, says World Bank study
A recent World Bank study, Conflict and Change in Kosovo: Impact
on Institutions and Society, examines how confrontation, conflict and
displacement in Kosovo over the last decade have affected its social relations
and institutions. The report takes as its underlying premise the notion that
stability and economic growth depend on the establishment of inclusive
institutions that promote intra-community cohesion and inter-ethnic
reconciliation. Concepts like social cohesion, social capital, and
reconciliation are central to the analysis. The study was prepared by a team of
experts, headed by Gloria La Cava, World Bank Senior Social Scientist for
South-Eastern Europe. Sergei Vinogradov discusses the report.
The
86-page report assesses the presence in Kosovo of two kinds of social capital,
bonding and bridging, characterized respectively by horizontal relations within
and among different groups, and the implications of each for promoting social
cohesion within and among Kosovo's various ethnic groups. While bonding social
capital can be exclusionary, promoting distrust of outsiders and, therefore,
leading to social fragmentation and the impoverishment of public life, bridging
social capital tends to nurture relationships across groups thereby promoting
inclusion, reconciliation and cohesion.
The study strives to promote
societal cohesion by examining three issues: 1. how indigenous formal and
informal institutions have evolved in Kosovo during the nineties, and their
varying degrees of inclusiveness and exclusiveness during different periods of
the conflict; (ii) the coping strategies of various groups in the face of
social exclusion, economic marginalization, and physical displacement; and
(iii) ways that social cohesion and reconciliation can be supported through
inclusive institutions and local economic development.
"It is our
hope," the authors state in the introduction,"& that future reconstruction
and development programme and policy decisions will benefit from this
study." The analysis progresses from the macro to the micro level - from
formal to informal institutions, from families and individuals, to present
various perspectives on social and institutional change in Kosovo. Throughout
emphasis is on interviews of respondents.
The study is divided into six
sections: I. Introduction; II. Macro Social Analysis, 1991-2000; III.
Assessment of Social Institutions; IV. Social Assessment; V. Diaspora
Assessment; and VI. Conclusions. Each section is further subdivided.
Ethnically, the population structure of Kosovo changed dramatically with
the end of conflict in mid-1999. Of the 356,000 non-Albanians in Kosovo in
1991, about 200,000 were still in the province in early 2000: including 100,000
Serbs, 47,000 Muslim Slavs, 30,000 Romas and 20,000 Turks. During the
post-conflict period, ethnicity remains a key factor in the risk of falling
victim to harassment and violence, the report states.
Steps towards a civil society
In
chapter III Assessment of Social Institutions the focus is on formal
institutions, in particular on the co-management at the municipal level under
UNMIK. This has enabled Kosovars and international officials to work together
to establish a sustainable system of local government characterized by
inclusive institutions, an accountable bureaucracy, and an engaged civil
society. The overview of formal institutions is meant to provide a context for
understanding informal local social institutions (civil society
organizations, village councils, extended family systems, etc.) in the
province. The second part of this chapter assesses the changes in informal
institutions during the nineties and considers how they can create the
conditions for empowerment, bridging social capital, reconciliation, and
democratization.
For example, two case studies are presented which
investigated the effects of bonding and bridging social capital: Pec, where
bonding social capital may be constraining the development of a strong civil
society; and Prizren, where civil society organizations, with UNMIK support,
are strengthening the city's bridging social capital across communities. In Pec
the bonding social capital existing among influential families "can limit
opportunities for the development of a strong civil society," the study notes,
although the more progressive members of such families, through their support
for civil society groups working for social change, may "transform bonding
social capital into bridging social capital."
In Prizren the networks
of associations, though less inclined towards inter-ethnic cooperation than in
previous decades, (Prizren's large intellectual class fostered a spirit of
tolerance before its outmigration during the nineties) are cooperating with
UNMIK on education matters, for example. The opening of OSCE's NGO Resource
Centre, whose primary purpose is to help rebuild inter-ethnic relationships
across Prizren's communities, today has 62 registered NGOs. In addition,
associations for economic development, which are replacing family-based
networks in the city's commercial and artisan communities, have, with UNMIK's
support for these local NGOS, led to the establishment of the first chamber of
commerce. The report notes that the emergence of independent trade unions and
entrepreneurs' clubs "also hold much promise for creating bridging social
capital and economic growth."
Social impact of war
The fourth
chapter, Social Assessment, is a micro-level analysis of how the Kosovar
population was affected by the conflict. The first part deals with the
population's experiences and perceptions to such issues as housing destruction
and displacement, security, and justice. The situation of minorities is also
presented. Like the assessment of formal and informal institutions, interviews
and group discussions formed the basis of the research. Regarding education all
Albanian respondents citing an improved education system today compared to
before the conflict thanks to the end of the parallel school system.
However, young women in Dragobil, Cernice and Rugova felt "particularly
disadvantaged to boys in being denied secondary education."
The extended
family, the study notes, can be a source of danger to women. For example,
widows forced to leave their home of dead husband's family can lose both
children and land "increasing their vulnerability." Other vulnerable groups,
apart from minorities, are such groups as the unemployed, IDPs, returnees, and
orphans.
Bridges for future concord
Much remains to be done to turn Kosovo into a safe, tolerant and inclusive
society. In this regard the study makes a number of recommendations. Firstly,
local institutions should be strengthened to promote bridging social capital.
This will entail a need for programmes to foster trust and consensus-building
among foreign and local officials, particularly between local civil society
groups and the local-level administrations. Community-driven development
efforts can become more effective if the local governments' capacity to promote
bridging relations among grass-root communities is enhanced in investment
projects.
Secondly, municipalities, communities, and public
interest-oriented groups need to be empowered to address the needs of
vulnerable and excluded segments of the Kosovar Albanian population, such as
women and girls, traumatized children, disabled individuals and other
war-affected groups. The position of women needs to be strengthened through
girls' education, access to productive assets, job training and security
mechanisms that are sensitive to women's needs.
Thirdly, the needs of
rapidly growing cities must be addressed. Cities lack the infrastructure,
public services, administrative capacity and economic structure to meet the
needs of their populations. In this regard, private sector development should
address the requirements of small and micro local entrepreneurs, including the
provision of credits, advice, technical assistance and information on the
functioning of a market economy.
Fourthly, a strong justice
system and shared local programmes can foster inter-ethnic trust and
cooperation. The study has found that despite widespread ethnic mistrust, seeds
of tolerance exist between Albanians and minorities. Barriers to reestablishing
that coexistence have to do mainly with security concerns. Therefore, the way
forward on the issue of getting rid of ethnic hatred is to establish a formal
justice system, including laws, police, courts and prisons, to help stabilize
the society and enable it to heal the wounds of the conflict without continuous
violent disruptions.
The study results also imply the need for quietly
shared grassroots programmes to facilitate dialogue and develop social and
economic opportunities, all of which will help to reduce ethnic tensions and
support the delicate process of healing. These types of low-profile
interventions will be less susceptible to intimidation and violence by
extremists than more visible attempts by the international community to foster
reconciliation, the study points out.
Fifthly, programmes are needed
to address the effects and, if possible, causes of the vulnerability and social
exclusion of minorities. The study says that the exclusion of Serbs and Romas,
and to a lesser extent Muslim Slavs, indicates the need for (a) multi-sectoral
investments that specifically target the needs of minority populations and (b)
community-based interventions that include strong participatory elements. For
example, donors could support local efforts to increase cross-border
cooperation between Gorani villages in Kosovo and Albania.
Finally, the
Diaspora community is an important resource for investment and skills transfer,
but incentives for their return are needed. Such incentives should include the
strengthening of local banks, a housing and mortgage credit facility, "look and
see" visits to Kosovo, support for foreign private sector investment in the
province, as well as social service, educational and training programmes for
returnees.
Note for Editors
For a selection of photographs, please
contact Mr. Ky Chung at 038 504-604 ext. 5467
Contact: Sergei Vinogradov
(038) 504 604 Ext. 5528
E-mail:
vinogradov@un.org