Kosovo Department of Justice Access to Justice Grants

The Access to Justice grants aim to foster links between justice and rule of law sector institutions and the communities they serve through support to local civil society and educational organizations, including efforts to raise awareness about human rights, anti-corruption, gender-based violence, youth inclusion, education and training in communities; and, efforts to advocate on legal and policy reform. These grants also seek to build the capacity of civil society organizations that operate throughout Kosovo. 

INL intends the next iteration of this series of grants to include a component that focuses on corruption, specifically addressing citizens’ perception that corruption is prevalent within the Kosovo government. 

This grant competition is designed to support Kosovo’s civil society organizations as they promote the rule of law, access to justice, and legal education through the following priority thematic areas:

·     Improve the capacity of Kosovo civil society to address gaps and inefficiencies in the justice and rule of law sector with a particular focus on corruption, civil society monitoring of the justice sector (both formal and informal), and public legal awareness. 

·     Promote rule of law and justice sector reform through dialogue between CSOs and judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and other relevant policymakers and stakeholders.

·     Advocate for and/or address the needs of vulnerable victims of crime, including victims of gender-based or domestic violence.

·     Support public discussion and education focused on demanding more effective, transparent and accountable governance.

·     Continue to educate the public on the mechanisms for formal policy change and how they can access them, specifically targeting younger generations of citizens.

·     Emphasize projects and initiatives that combat corruption within the public sector.

·     Increase the critical thinking skills of legal students and graduates through internship programs or other initiatives.