Talking Trash N’ Things in Kosovo

Kosovo faces policy challenges large and small. On one hand, the country is working towards EU accession, while on the other; it is struggling with delivering basic services to citizens such as waste management. Coming to Pristina from my hometown of Seattle, WA, possibly one of the United States’ greenest, most environmentally friendly cities, the disarray of services was troubling. Currently, recycling services are limited and/or dysfunctional, dumpsites are constantly overflowing, trash fires are not uncommon especially in rural areas, and coordination of stakeholders is lacking. After seven months here, and after becoming more acquainted with the waste management system of Kosovo, I have learned that a complex web of nepotism, complacency and disorganization are endemic throughout this system that should serve to support citizen’s quality of life. Something has to change, the question is who will change it, and where does one start?

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning in Kosovo has developed a beautiful Waste Management Strategy 2012 – 2021 which acknowledges many of the current challenges and inhibitors to systemic reform (http://mmph.rks-gov.net/repository/docs/+SRKMM_Ang_270038.pdf ). The challenge, as with most of Kosovo’s strategies, is the implementation. Kosovo’s central government has delegated many competencies to the municipal level, one of which is waste collection. Municipalities have the option to contract a publicly owned enterprise (POE) for waste collection either on their own or through the system of inter-municipal partnerships with a single enterprise often serving up to 5 municipalities. The private sector also plays a role in waste collection. The big companies are well known throughout Kosovo. These companies not only rule the way trash is collected in Kosovo, but also have shown little interest in improving the system, or making services better for citizens. In some municipalities payment collection for trash collection range from 40 – 50% as citizens are not willing to pay the 4 – 5 Euros a month for what tends to be poor service, or simply can’t pay. Kosovo’s landfills are also overburdened and the incentives/enforcement for companies to utilize legal dumpsites are lacking. Further, at least 40% of Kosovo’s waste is organic household material such as vegetables, fruit, and yard waste which release dangerous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere while also added to an already overburdened system.

To date, the informal sector has been a large part of waste management with the absence of any formal mechanisms, particularly for plastic recycling, With a large disenfranchised minority population of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian descent, those with an entrepreneurial drive have taken to the streets to collect plastic bottles discarded at dumpsites. Empty plastic water bottles are ubiquitous due to widespread distrust of tap water quality. The informal collectors take the bottles to Kosovo’s recycling companies who then provide a small sum of money, often much less than the market rate for recycled goods. Recent efforts by international donors and civil society are bringing more attention to this issue to formalize this work in order to improve safety standards and bargaining power for this community. The European Center for Minority Issues, for instance, has received an EU grant to establish a recycling collective to do just that. Another innovative initiative “Pimp my Carroça, uses a Brazilian idea to raise awareness, you can view the story here.

So whose responsibility is it to improve the waste collection system and ultimately the public environment in Kosovo? Government has delegated the job to these POEs, and citizens expect this service from the Government. Meanwhile, citizens seem to feel little individual responsibility to keep their city clean, possibly as a result of Kosovo’s storied history fighting for independence. After generations of living under some type occupation, little citizen ownership is felt towards the public space in Kosovo; littering could be seen as a type of defiance against the occupying state. Now, however, Kosovo has achieved what it has sought for so long, their own, independent country that must be nurtured and cared for. What is the role for government, civil society, business, and the international donor community to solve this challenge? The answer is not simple and will take a dynamic approach with all actors engaging with their best efforts.

While waste management requires a systemic approach from many stakeholders, I believe in the power of small-scale initiatives, utilizing the power and energy of citizens. As a Fulbright Clinton Fellow, the least we can do is leave the communities we work in slightly better off then we found them, and why not share the American spirit of volunteerism and community while at it? Keeping in mind that so much organic waste is produced in Kosovo, compounded with the facts that soil and water quality remains poor, pollution is high, and agricultural land is increasingly degraded, the idea came to develop a community compost site in downtown Pristina. This would be a small initiative that could support a greater cultural shift – a shift towards environmental awareness. Many farmers throughout Kosovo are already composting on their own land, however, the urban centers have been void of such initiatives. After connecting with community composters in Belgium, to identify best practices and potential challenges, I set out on making this idea a reality for Kosovo’s capital city.

So why community compost? Successful recycling initiatives for plastic, glass, paper and metal require systematic environmental education campaigns, community support, and infrastructure, all of which is lacking in Kosovo. Community compost targets the grassroots level of educating members of a community on the natural recycling process, positive impacts on landfills and the greater environment while also uniting a community around improving their livable space. It does not require the infrastructure widespread plastic, glass, paper and metal recycling systems do, and would serve as a stepping stone to bigger recycling initiatives. Gaining support for this initiative was not easy and will continue to be a challenge. Despite the skeptics and the naysayers, a few institutions believed in the concept and united to bring the community compost site into fruition.

Our project, Kompostimi në Lagje (English: Composting in the Neighborhood), launched on Earth Day 2015 under the Green Art Center’s EcoFriend initiative (www.mjedisi.com) with support from the municipality of Prishtine and GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) as well as volunteers from the American University in Kosovo. Kompostimi ne Lagje’s slogan: Prishtine’s first initiative for composting in the neighborhood, FOR the neighborhood, FROM the neighborhood. Kompostimi në Lagje is in, Parku y Qytetit (City Park), one of Prishtina’s central parks which is surrounded by a diverse group of residents, including a mix of locals and internationals from well-off to lower middle class. With Kompostimi ne Lagje, each and every neighbor can make a positive impact on their environment, one bucket of organic household waste at a time.

At the Kompostimi në lagje launch on Earth Day, volunteers explained urban composting and how residents could contribute to the neighborhood site. In the afternoon, even some of the neighborhood kids were out helping us paint and explaining the initiative to those passing by. Residents were excited to see this initiative in their local park. In our first week we gained support from 35 families, 4 coffee shops and 3 vegetable markets to contribute their organic waste. Meanwhile, additional recruitment is ongoing. With additional sign-up activities we now have 60 families who have committed to bring their organic waste and are looking forward to the rich soil product it will return. In a society accustomed to short term development projects many citizens asked at the launch day event “how long will the project be active?” I was happy to reply “Hopefully, forever!”.

The project was also featured as part of the recent Community Design Symposium developed by AUK and sponsored by the US Embassy. The project served as an example of how composting and recycling can be an inclusive, community oriented activity with a positive development impact.

Success is not guaranteed for the project, but the initial support is encouraging, showing just a small bit of hope that Pristina’s residents have a stake in their community and want to contribute to its success. The compost site has become a focal point of the park, something residents both young and old have a stake in, and can hopefully be replicated in neighborhoods through Pristina, and eventually Kosovo. Check out the initiative’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/PristinaKompostimi

While Kompostimi ne Lagje will not solve Kosovo’s waste management challenges alone, it is a small piece of the puzzle, one part of the dynamic approach necessary. This small puzzle piece targets important ideals, particularly, citizen- involvement in their communities and their contribution to environmental sustainability. Let’s hope for Kosovo that this contribution to the puzzle will slowly complete a corner, leading to greater institutional change.

By Micaela Thurman

Fulbright-Clinton Fellow – Kosovo

5 Lessons Learned from Cardiff Performance Management Systems for Improved Government Service Delivery

As a young country, Kosovo has implemented a 21st century mechanism to serve local governments to support their service delivery for citizens. The Performance Management System is a reporting mechanism that collects key data across fields of service delivery through municipalities. The system covers many competencies including, administrative service, social welfare, culture, youth and sports, local emergency, urban planning, parks and squares, roads, sidewalks, public transport, public parking, public lighting, water supply, sewage, waste collection and waste disposal. This tool, if properly integrated, provides leaders with key data necessary for improved planning and decision making. It also allows central policy makers and donors to identify challenges and areas requiring additional support.

Through a study visit to Wales coordinated by the Swiss Development Cooperation’s DEMOS program in June 2015, 10 officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Office of the Auditor General and Association of Kosovo Municipalities explored a high functioning performance management system in order to gain best practices for local implementation.

5 main conclusions stood out as lessons learned from this experience:

1. The Conversation must be about performance IMPROVEMENT not only performance MANAGEMENT

An early epiphany, made by the Cardiff City Government, was that these systems really don’t matter if you are merely managing performance. They only begin to matter when you start talking about them as a tool for improvement. National leaders, local leaders, and citizens have to see this as a tool to evoke positive change in administration and eventually communities. The fields being assessed have to be areas which the local administrations have power to impact, and should be interested in improving. While it’s true that these tools may reveal some unpleasant information about municipal performance, only by acknowledging the areas administrations are falling short in can things get better. Once the data is delivered, the results become a tool for local policy makers to identify areas for improvement and ideally, to direct resources.

2. Data only matters if it is timely, relevant, and is then interpreted meaningfully to other stakeholders

 Governments, even businesses, often operate on an annual planning and budgeting basis. And in the beginning of the implementation of this system in Cardiff, the data was also reported annually. This caused a number of problems. First, the data was delivered too late for any meaningful changes to be made to annual workplans or budget allocations, and secondly, the time lag in reporting did not allow for administrators to identify problem areas before it was too late. For instance, some central grant funds in Wales are tied to local performance. If a local council’s annual report was poor at the end of the year, they did not have a chance to identify interventions to rectify the issue and develop an improvement plan.

Further, a unit at the national and local level must be trained with the capacity to analyze this data and identify the implications this data has for municipal performance, quality of life, funding, and most importantly to the citizens who live there. Another step local authorities and the central Welsh authority is taking is to translate this data into meaningful information to citizens. Average citizens, and even most civil servants, are uncomfortable looking at a spreadsheet of numbers. To enhance citizen engagement, transparency and the integration of data into everyday life, online and graphic tools have been established to portray this information to the everyday citizen. One example from www.mycitycouncil.net is shown below.

3. Performance indicators are successful when integrated into the daily work of government, not just at reporting periods

 It is far too easy to make performance improvement systems a secondary item, only a reporting requirement with no added value. The challenge, and necessity, is to fully capitalize on the value add this system can lend by integrating it into the daily work of government. This means each morning employees log-in and think about how they are working towards the indicator in their designated field. Institutions must also think at every moment about what activities are foreseen in the action plan for improvement and how are daily government activities working to advance these goals? It is essential that government planning be in sync with performance improvement. Often sited throughout the visit in Cardiff was the “golden thread”, or the item that seamlessly links central government strategy, daily implementation, and performance indicators. Planners, implementers and politicians must work to harmonize priorities, keeping agreed upon targets in mind in each activity moved forward. Without coordination and connections, these indicators and systems will not have the intended impact. 

4. Performance indicators must be linked with local performance targets for governments and employees

Following on point 3, performance indicators are a tool not just for top level managers, but can also be a tool to gauge workplace performance. While Aristotle told us that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, government performance too, is also greater than the sum of it’s civil servant’s performance. In practice, this means that civil servants are required to report and deliver on progress towards indicators in regular reviews. This makes performance indicators a matter not only important to the government, but also personally connects the success of civil servants to the success of the areas they are working on.

It is also essential that government planning be in sync with performance improvement. Often sited throughout the visit in Cardiff was the “golden thread”, or the item that seamlessly links central government strategy, daily implementation, personal performance, short and long term goals and the data gathered through performance indicators. Without coordination and connections, these indicators and systems will not have sustainable impact. 

5. Successful performance improvement systems require constant, year-round maintenance and support

While simply having a Performance Improvement System is a positive start, governments who employ them must be all-in. They must commit not only with words, policies and systems, but with the continued support necessary to make them viable. Requesting data is the easy part of these systems. Gathering quality data, conducting analysis, and converting this into sustainable, actionable activities and reforms is where the challenges arise. Human resources and technical resource units are necessary for upkeep and analysis as well as to provide the support necessary to local officials to accurately collect and deliver quality information. While fancy software is helpful to a point, it is the manipulation and support for data that only qualified personnel can provide that adds value. Without providing such support it is unrealistic to expect positive results.

 

By Micaela Thurman

Fulbright-Clinton Fellow – Kosovo

 

In Response to ‘The Case Against Human Rights’

The Samoan Observer recently reprinted Eric Posner’s ‘The Case Against Human Rights’, an article originally published in The Guardian. As a Fulbright Scholar brought to Samoa in a human rights capacity, I could not in good conscience leave this article without response. While certain points in the article are well-taken, namely that the enforcement of human rights treaties remains weak, its overall message that international human rights law is ineffective must be rebutted.

Posner points out that the central problem with human rights law is that it is ambiguous with poorly defined obligations. By this measure, essentially all constitutions in the world could be labeled ineffective, yet few legal scholars would posit such an absurd argument. It is important not to forget that human rights are aspirational in nature (that is why it is always posed in terms of ‘the progressive realization of human rights’), so simply because states fail to live up to the ideal of human rights does not mean that the entire framework is inherently flawed. I caution those who agree with Posner to not throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. And, even if you wish to do so, I ask: what is a better alternative?

As a human rights lawyer, I understand acutely the complaints about how international law and the institutions that uphold it function. But that is only one side of the coin; there is still much to be said about the efficacy of human rights treaties—an achievement for which the author does not give due credence. First and foremost, human rights law has put vulnerable groups onto the international agenda, providing a platform for advocacy. If you were to ask women’s groups, child advocates, disability rights organizations, and the like whether they thought human rights law is a failure, you would get a very different picture than the one painted by Posner.

These previously widely neglected issues have become top priorities for national and international policymaking, budget allocations, and the targeting of development assistance. To this end, the seemingly ‘aloof’ international framework has had a direct and concrete impact on people’s lives, health, and well-being because to some degree, governments have had to put their money where their mouths are. Prior to the nearly 70-year evolution of the human rights regime, few governments in the world focused on these groups and none were held accountable for not doing so.

The human rights principles of equality, nondiscrimination, participation, accountability, etc. are relevant for any country in the world, irrespective of government differences. This is because patterns of marginalization, exclusion, and discrimination are consistent across the world and inequality exists in every country across the globe. With this in mind, the principles enshrined in the universal declaration do have universal appeal and they can capture the imagination. The human rights framework has encouraged advocates to think, not only in strictly legal terms, but also about strategically using the underlying principles to inform and shape policymaking and, most importantly, action. The elevation of civil society as a measure of accountability on governments, both foreign and domestic, has become a force to be reckoned with. To this end, the impact of human rights is undeniable.

The central strength, therefore, in human rights law can be found in its local and community-based capacity to prioritize the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society within a specific country context. Samoa is a prime example of this, particularly as it prepares for its first ever State of Human Rights Report due to Parliament this June.Using the fundamental rights enshrined in Samoa’s constitution—which also happen to behuman rights in and of themselves (inter alia, right to life, freedom from inhuman treatment, freedom of religion, and so on and so forth)—and complementing them withbasic human rights principles, the Report will capture the Samoan context of the status of human rights.Working closely with community groups and other stakeholders, this Report aims to give a voice to the vulnerable and speak on their behalf. Contrary to Posner’s arguments, Samoa is using the human rights framework for incremental improvements without the hubris.

Furthermore, Fa’a Samoa­—an inherently beautiful and democratic way of life—also plays a large role in this process, exemplifying how culture can complement human rights law and vice versa. When society functions equally, as human rights principles provide for, it can lead to a stronger application of cultural values, especially respect and dignity. The challenge is to collectively encourage and convince government leaders to revisit laws and policies in order to ensure better protection of those rights, paying special attention to those most adversely affected by existing conditions. In this manner, Samoa is working to progressively realize human rights, which must be applauded, not ridiculed.

Finally, Posner’s argument is not new. Politics continues to soil the original aim and intent of human rights, but this is less a failure of the ideal of human rights as it is a failure of governments and abuses of power in general. This would exist with or without the human rights law. However, I prefer an aspirational system instead of its predecessor, ‘gunboat’ diplomacy. Of course this system isn’t perfect; no system is. But the fact that human rights are not confined—that they embrace a wide range of socioeconomic factors—andthat they create the conditions upon which people can lead their lives with dignity is something to be praised, not disparaged. Establishing the ideal of human rights is a feat in and of itself because it enables us to perceive what immense tasks are tied to such an assertion. This is not failure; this is progress.

By Johanna Gusman

Fulbright-Clinton Fellow – Samoa

In a Nutshell: Small Island Developing States

The Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship in Samoa has given me the rare opportunity to see first hand what life is like in a group of countries that I had previously only briefly researched and studied: small island developing states (SIDS).

To further familiarize myself with this grouping of countries, I decided to do a bit of background research. I will share the results of this research with you through this and other “In a Nutshell” blog posts. Let’s start at the very beginning (the very best place to start): who are the small island developing states?

There are thirty-nine SIDS (fifty-one if you also include territories) spread throughout three regions: AIMS (Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and South China Sea), the Caribbean, and the Pacific. According to the UN, they house 63.2 million people and have a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $575.3 billion. To give a point of comparison, Samoa has a GDP (2013) of $801.9 million, and as of 2014, its population totaled 192,000.

51 small island developing states and territories are scattered across the AIMS, Caribbean, and Pacific regions.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Island_Developing_States

SIDS are distinguished from other developing countries by four key characteristics: small size, isolation, climate change and sea-level rise, and natural and environmental disasters.

Small size brings with it many challenges, including a more narrow range of resources; a high dependence on international trade for goods that can’t be produced locally (and as a result, a high vulnerability to fluctuations in international markets); and higher costs for infrastructure (including transportation and communication). Their small size also prevents SIDS from benefiting from the same economies of scale (i.e. mass production to reduce per unit costs) that a larger economy could achieve.

Small size does, however, offer definite opportunities. It makes SIDS ideal locations for pilot projects that could then be rolled out to other countries on a larger scale. Renewable energy is a particularly promising area for SIDS pilot projects. The New Zealand territory of Tokelau, for example, uses solar sources for 100% of its energy needs.

During my time in Samoa thus far, I have been able to appreciate the advantages that come with its small size. It was rather daunting to be responsible for finalizing a climate change policy review for an entire country, but Samoa is one of the rare locations where, because of its small size, I can actually feasibly get a sense of everything climate change related that is happening across the entire country. I’m given the chance to deal with national level issues while dealing with what for many countries would be local level scale.

Isolation means that on top of being highly dependent on international trade, SIDS also have to fight harder to stay competitive with more easily accessible locations. They also incur much higher costs for everything they import and export. And as I have now seen first hand, the arrival of imported goods takes a lot more time. At the end of December, I stopped by a store to buy some reef shoes, and they only had a few large sizes left in stock. I asked when they expected to get in some smaller sizes, and they said that the next shipment was slated to arrive at the end of January – at the earliest.

Climate change and sea-level rise are also a much more serious risk for SIDS than other developing countries precisely because of their small size (which means that there is a high coastal zone concentration for limited land area) and isolated position. It is because of the serious implications of climate change and sea-level rise for SIDS that Samoa is now seeking to develop a coherent, unified national approach to climate change and ensure that climate change is incorporated into all of their sector development plans. 

Natural and environmental disasters are also a very serious risk. SIDS are located in the regions that are the most vulnerable to these disasters – in terms of their intensity, frequency, and increasing impact. Because of the interplay between this and the other key characteristics for SIDS, they also face disproportionately high economic, social, and environmental costs from such disasters.

When Cyclone Evan hit Samoa in December 2012, it destroyed a wide range of crucial infrastructure (from roads and bridges to water and electrical facilities) and damaged tourist facilities, homes, and crops. An IMF Official estimated the impact of the Cyclone to be at least as high as the 2009 tsunami, which displaced 3,500 people and caused US$147 million in damages (an amount that equals over a quarter of Samoa’s GDP). Samoa received over $103 million WST in foreign aid from 2013 to 2014 to help with Cyclone Evan recovery and has now “built back better”, more climate resilient infrastructure. And climate resilience continues to be an important part of climate change-related programs in Samoa. Such projects are critical if we are to lessen the impact of any future natural or environmental disasters.

I hope this post has helped you discover a little bit more about what it means to be a small island developing state. I’ll be posting the next in this series on my personal blog: http://accumulatingsmallsteps.blogspot.com.

By Marie-Claire Tuzeneu

Fulbright-Clinton Fellow — Samoa

If you would like to find out more about small island developing states, these sites were particularly useful for me in writing this post:

http://aosis.org/

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-22/cyclone-evan-impact-on-samoa-s-economy-as-bad-as-2009-tsunami.html

http://data.worldbank.org/country/samoa

http://powersmartsolar.co.nz/our_projects/id/185

http://www.sids2014.org

http://www.sidsnet.org/

http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/smallislanddevelopingstates

http://www.un.org/en/events/islands2014/

http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/pacificislands/

An American working on EU Integration?

The title of this blog is a question I’ve often heard during my 3 months in Kosovo. Placed with the Kosovo’s Ministry of Local Government in the Department of European Integration and Policy Coordination, I’ve often introduced myself and shortly thereafter am asked a question to the effect of “but wait, you’re an American. Why are you working on European Integration”. The quick answer is that I am a self-proclaimed Europhile and supporter of the European agenda. But the longer answer is that the concept of “European integration” is something not so foreign to Americans. I’d argue it’s something quite familiar.

The term “European integration” seems to have turned into an entity of its own here in Kosovo, as I’m sure it has in many countries as they prepare for accession talks. Kosovo recently finalized the Stabilization and Association Process Dialogue (more quickly than any other country seeking to join the EU) and as of August 2014 has initialed its Stabilization and Association Agreement. Now, they are awaiting final approval once the newly formed government is confirmed. This means that the time for the real work of implementing all the necessary measures is now. The EU Commission provides constant feedback on Kosovo’s progress, and published an annual progress report summarizing each country’s efforts. In Kosovo, an entire Ministry was recently created for European Integration, and each of the 17 other ministries have an entire department for European Integration. Further, each of the 38 municipalities is required to have an officer for European Integration. So what are all these bodies and representatives doing in their quest for “European integration”?

My answer would be that they are supporting good governance efforts, pushing for increased transparency, enhancing safety and security, developing quality education and cultural institutions, supporting economic development and the rule of law, etc, etc. Sounds a lot like the same responsibilities that every government around the world is obliged to work towards to support their citizens, doesn’t it? Often, this idea of European integration is seen as a job separate from the daily work of government. When in actuality, the work necessary to support European integration is to move institutions towards good governance as a whole. Technically, there are 35 chapters (or policy fields) for negotiation, requiring endless legal harmonization and policy reform but perhaps it is more harmful than helpful when we make “European Integration” into an entity in and of itself. From my perspective what the EU wants to see countries achieve prior to granting accession is fairly simple; a well-governed state and infrastructure and institutions developed for a prosperous functioning economy with quality opportunities for its citizens. Sure, that is oversimplifying the matter, but European integration should result in tangible impact for citizens. It means all Albanian, Serbs, Roma, Bosniaks and others nationalities living in Kosovo have equal access to education. It means contracts are upheld and enforceable. It means governments are accountable to the citizens they serve. And most importantly, it means that government, business and civil society have the capacity necessary to operate and contribute to a vibrant public sphere. These things are something every developed country in the world has worked through, and good governments continue to review and improve. The US, despite being a global leader in many areas, is not perfect, and our country still combats these challenges on a daily basis. The perspective I bring to Kosovo is the experience and best practices developed in the US in the 238 years since our country was founded.

Another aspect of European integration and the design of the European Union is the idea that together they are better off and stronger working together than seperately. Despite differences among the 50 states that comprise the United States of America, the concept that we are better and stronger together than we are apart rings true each and every day. Yes, California is the 10^th largest economy in the world, but the combination of 50 states with unique geographic advantages, cultures and histories and industries is what makes America America. As the Latin phrase on each of our dollar bills proclaims “E Pluribus Unum” or out of many one, our many distinct characteristics is what comprises the character and strength of the US. Similarly, the rich cultures, human resources and economies of each EU country, large and small, will make the European Union a dynamic, prosperous block. Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, recently stated that Italy will push for the “United States of Europe” during their 6-month rotating presidency of the EU. He stated “that a stronger and more cohesive Europe is the only solution to solve the problems of our time”, Mr Renzi said “For my children’s future I dream, think and work for the United States of Europe.” As an American, this concept of shared prosperity is something I know a little something about, and something worth working towards for Kosovo.

The European Union offers Kosovo the biggest symbolic carrot to implement good governance systems. Despite that, I’ll continue to argue that Kosovo must implement reform as much for it’s own prosperity as a viable country as it does to meet the requirements of joining the EU. So, now more than ever is the time for Kosovo to get to work, not only to please the EU, but to please the country’s 1.8 million citizens.

By Micaela Thurman

Fulbright Clinton Fellow – Pristina, Kosovo

Cultural Intervention or Complacency?

While shopping in Kathmandu recently, I ducked into what we’d lovingly refer to in America as a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. This particular hole-in-the-wall served only momos, my favorite Nepali snack (momos are steamed dumplings filled either with meat or vegetables). A perhaps-13-year old boy took my order and informed me the momos would take 10 minutes. While I was waiting, I looked around the restaurant. It was simple: cement walls and floor, eight tables, a handful of benches, no windows. On each table sat a water pitcher. I watched a few groups of people come in, get a plate of momos, pour some sauce onto their plates, and then pick up the common-use water pitcher and pour water into their mouths, though without quite touching the pitcher to their lips. “Well that’s not so sanitary,” I thought, “but they’re locals, they probably know best.”

I also watched a man, perhaps the owner, walk from behind the cash register, step up onto a table (where people eat), and put a small garland on three small statues of deities embedded in the wall above the soft drink fridge. He stepped down, walked to a different table, stepped up onto that one, and washed the glass frame of a framed drawing of another deity. Then he stepped down and went back to sit behind the cash register. I thought, “That’s gross, shoes on the table and all, but no one else here seems to mind. And he’s practicing his religion right now, so who am I to tell him not to step all over the dining tables in his own restaurant?”

A few days later, I met five American women who are teaching English in five different Nepali schools. Each one had experienced the frustration of witnessing the physical punishment of students in their school – by their Nepali colleagues, the other teachers and principals, as well as students inflicting violence on other students. They recounted tales of teachers hitting students with sticks and broom handles. However, as the lone non-Nepalis in each school, they felt unable to change the culture of corporal punishment that has existed in these schools, and at students’ homes, for who knows how long.

I was horrified. But what would I do differently? How, as an individual living and working in a foreign culture, can I impose my beliefs – hitting is bad, stepping on dining tables with dirty shoes is bad – on my host country’s culture? When, as outsiders, do we intervene in situations that make us flinch and say things like, “That’s gross, don’t drink directly from a public water pitcher!” and “Oh that is absolutely morally repugnant, do not hit your students.” When do we put cultural relativism aside and try to change a system, cultural practice, or someone’s mind about the way they’ve been living their life?

A Nepali colleague at USAID shared with me her way of gauging when to intervene in a cultural practice that seems to be causing harm: When a cultural, religious or traditional practice inflicts physical pain or a loss of human dignity on another person, then it’s time to openly challenge that practice, regardless of how long it’s been tradition. A recent joint recommendation from the UN Committees on CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights of the Child suggests a culturally-sensitive approach to communities grappling with long-existing norms that are now considered harmful or passe: encourage communities to collectively explore and agree on alternative ways to fulfill the community’s values and honor traditions without causing harm or violating individuals’ human rights.[1]

Gender relations in Nepal are particularly marked by generations of traditions and beliefs about women’s and men’s role in society, some of which are annoying, and some of which are downright harmful to women’s physical integrity or human dignity. As I begin my public policy fellowship at Nepal’s Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, helping the Ministry to revise their national gender strategy, I will keep in mind that just because a way of doing something in Nepal is traditional, it is not immune to intervention.

[1] United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and Committee on the Rights of the Child, “Joint general recommendation/general comment No. 31 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and No. 18 of the Committee on the Rights of the child on harmful practices,” CEDAW/C/GC/31-CRC/C/GC/18, November 4, 2014.

International Human Rights Day

International Human Rights Day, chosen on this date because it commemorates the General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), is celebrated all over the world in different ways. This year’s slogan is Human Rights 365 to encompass the idea that every day is Human Rights Day. It celebrates a fundamental principle in the UDHR that everyone, everywhere, at all times, is entitled to the full range of human rights that each one of us was endowed with, equally.

In Samoa, the Office of the Ombudsman (which also acts as the National Human Rights Institute) is celebrating this day by launching a human rights survey that will compliment the findings in our State of Human Rights Report. Here I am with a colleague peddling the surveys to unsuspecting guests:

We also held an awards ceremony to honour members of the community dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights. One of our focuses for the Report is children’s rights, so we had several categories of awards dedicated to children who are educating their communities on human rights principles. Here are some of my favourite winners:

I have become quite involved in identifying and addressing human rights issues in Samoa through my Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship, so today was especially important to me because it gave me a renewed commitment to this challenging work. I was surrounded by people who have long been working to ensure that the principles enshrined in the UDHR are respected in Samoa. What’s more, I was encouraged by the next generation of human rights defenders who are championing equal rights for prisoners, promoting increased access and participation in society for persons with disabilities, and working to end violence against women and children.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of my job has been the push to include of the views of children into the Report. I feel strongly about this because I know that children provide invaluable insight into the status of human rights in the broader community. But as one child told me today, “children are never listened to and their ideas are always ignored.” Aside from conducting a nation-wide human rights survey (which doubles as my Fulbright research), our Office is consulting primary and secondary schools on their perception of human rights in Samoa. Thus far, the responses we have seen from children have been among the most impressive, astute measurements of human rights I have come across.

For example, for years 6 to 8, we simply ask three things about life in Samoa they would like to see changed and three things they would like to stay the same as well as three things that come to mind when they hear the term “human rights.” My favourite answer to the last question is “I can live with peace because I know that my voice has been heard and that the government is doing something about it.” How fitting for our Report to Parliament, eh? I plan on putting it in the Ombudsman’s address to the Members.

Another favourite for something that a child (and actually a majority of the children surveyed addressed) would like to see changed:

In Samoa, men are more powerful than women, even in my own family. To be honest, I like my mother more than my father. So I want to see women having the same ability in everything with men. I think ‘gender inequality’ is part of the reason women are so much abused. If everyone has the same rights, then women should be more powerful.

Finally, in the spirit of open-mindedness and the freedom of opinion, this has been the most entertaining response I have come across regarding change in Samoa:

I think the Prime Minister should change his hair. It makes him look too old.

Perhaps that will also make it into the Ombudsman’s speech…

I currently have a stack of about 500 surveys on my desk to analyse before the New Year. I am certain to come across many more insightfully entertaining responses, but I am also certain to come across some terribly heart-wrenching ones. That is why taking time today to celebrate the fact that human rights exist for everyone, everywhere, at all times (even if articulating violations in an anonymous survey is the only outlet you choose to express such views) is so important—dealing with the heart-wrench is the basis upon which this day was established and preventing heart-wrench is the reason I continue to do what I do.

Driving in Style Through the Streets of Apia

As I finish off my third full week in Samoa, I wanted to focus this post on providing a few images of life in Apia – at least as I’ve experienced it thus far.

Let’s start with how people get around. The means of transport are essentially the same – cars, buses, taxis. The style, however, is a whole other matter. Here, people deck out their vehicles to an extent that would make “Pimp My Ride” look snooze worthy. Fuzzy animal print on the dashboard and the name of your car emblazoned in rainbow lettering across the windshield are both among the standard decorations for cars and busses in Samoa. If you want to increase the retail value of your car, all you need is extra swag. A couple of Australian volunteers attached a minimum of six Mustang horses to their dash, rear view mirrors, and car top, and they have now been repeatedly stopped by people who were hoping that their car was for sale.

And taking the bus here is just as fun and colorful an experience as you might expect from a bus with a fuzzy zebra striped dash. Bus schedules are subject to the whims of the bus driver, and bus stops are any spot on the driver’s route where a rider needs to hop on or off. In the mornings, I walk about five minutes to the main university road and wait at the intersection for one of the colorful buses to come rolling down the hill. I then wave the bus down (which you do by holding out your hand and shaking it with the palm face down), step on, and settle into one of the wooden, bench-style seats inside.

A trip to the bus depot in downtown Apia is guaranteed to be full of bright colors and creative bus names. (Source: http://www.alaimoana.ws/ – I keep forgetting to get a shot of my own!)

In fifth grade, our bus driver had tricked out his school bus with speakers and would blast a variety of R&B and rap during his route. He would have fit in perfectly in Samoa. Every bus here has a sound system, and they without fail will blast their favorite tunes as they drive about the city. Yesterday, I cruised to work to a remix of Gagnam Style, and today’s ride was to a series of reggae-style remixes of Christmas hits. I have also heard that people will sit on strangers’ laps when there aren’t enough seats, but I haven’t been in a bus yet that was crowded enough for that to happen. While it was a bit daunting to catch a bus for the first time, I am so happy that I now get to regularly enjoy this very distinctly Samoan experience!

Day-to-day life in Apia is also marked by a very different soundtrack from what would mark my days in Nashville, Dayton, or Paris. The morning starts at 5 am with the gong of bells from the church next door. My first alarm at 7:30am is then usually accompanied by the cheeps of baby chicks who are wandering through our backyard. And less charmingly, a rooster will also chime in on some mornings. It seems rather ironic now that before coming to Samoa, I would use the rooster call sound on my phone when I needed a particularly loud and annoying wake up call.

Evening follows with its own unique set of sounds. To start, our landlady has a couple of dogs that stay on the property to guard it. Dogs here are very different from the yip-yaps little biddies parade around the streets of Paris. They are often left to their own devices and serve more as guards than as companions. Our landlady’s dogs like us well enough, but they definitely have never been trained, so evenings are often punctuated by lots and lots…and lots of barking. And as I drift off to sleep at night, it is often to the strange, indescribable chirping of geckos.

To give you an idea of what this is like:

//www.youtube.com/embed/pApRHfWZhzw

So all and all, it has been an exciting, full first three weeks with lots of new discoveries, and I’m looking forward to discovering more of day-to-day life in Samoa over the next ten months!

Everything in Transit

Sitting on a plane back to Addis has me reflecting on the amount of time I spend in transit. When I get into a routine, transit can seem mundane, boring, and even painful. But having just moved to a new city, transit experiences are often new, exciting, interesting, and sometimes even nerve-wracking.

They also often provide the opportunity to pause and reflect; some of my best incites and daydreams occur while in transit. I also think they provide a good (though certainly not representative) window into some my Fulbright experience thus far (and also the opportunity to go back through my pictures, which is always fun). Some of my transit experiences so far (illustrated below) include: planes, (no trains), cars, taxis, boats, and of course running (a friend once argued that running was her ideal form of transportation.  For each one, I’ve provided the mode of travel, the general date, where I was going to and coming from, and a bit of insight into where my head was at the time.  Enjoy!

Mode of transportation: Taxi

When: First weekend in Ethiopia

From: The Radisson

To: Dinner

What was going through my head: I was excited to have my friends around to explore a new city. I was also wishing the ceiling of this cab was higher so I could see out the window in order to be learning my way around.

Mode of transportation: Running

When: Mid-October

From: Entoto Mountain

To: Entoto Mountain

What was going through my head: This is the best view of Addis, from about 2,000 feet (vertically) above the city.  It’s also one of the best places around the city to run and where several world-class marathoners train.  I just remember thinking, “woah”.

Mode of transportation: SUV

Date: Early November

From: Addis Ababa

To: Lake Langano

What was going through my head: This was my first experience getting out of Addis by car. I felt a deep sense of freedom in escaping the congestion and construction of the city.

Mode of transportation: Taxi

Date: Mid November

From: Home

To: Work

What was going through my head: I remember thinking, “what’s going on?”.  We were driving by St. Michael’s Church on St. Michael’s (aka “Smoking”) Day. From what I understood from my cab driver, it’s called “smoking” day because about 60 years ago there was a plague or sickness (maybe cholera?) that was sweeping the city and so everyone burned all their trash in the streets. I awoke on Smoking Day to significantly lower visibility above the city and the strong smell of smoke.

Mode of transportation: Plane

Date: Late November

From: Addis

To: Lusaka

What was going through my head: This was my first real intra-African flight. I was thinking about just how vast the continent was and how lucky I was to be exploring it. I was also pretty nervous since I was heading towards a week-long conference where I had no idea what to expect.

Mode of transportation: Boat

From: Zambia

To: Botswana

What was going through my head: I forgot my yellow fever card in Addis and the tour company had told us that Botswana was quite strict in requiring yellow fever documentation to get into the country. There was real concern at this point that they weren’t going to let me into the country, so I was pretty nervous. Fortunately, everything worked out.

Clearly, my Fulbright transit experiences have been characterized by a rollercoaster (get it?) of thoughts and emotions, some good, some bad.  Critically, transit has provided me the opportunity to reflect on my experience, and in this way, I really have felt everything in transit.

Kosovo. Life, Uninterrupted.

The Fulbright Clinton Fellowship is active in 12 far reaching countries in every corner of the world, including places like Myanmar, Haiti, Samoa, Kazakhstan and Malawi in addition to Kosovo. Not exactly countries on most people’s list of places to go. Many of these countries remain on the list of developing countries, fraught with political and economic challenges, corruption and poor rule of law (all of which exist in Kosovo). After living in Kosovo for just over a month as a Fulbright Clinton Fellow I’m finding my life here to be surprisingly uninterrupted. Settling into Kosovo, the second youngest country in the world after South Sudan, has been relatively easy. Before arriving, I had an idea of what life in Pristina would hold for me and the things I would have to live without, however, living without those things and dealing with others, has proven fairly easy.

So what makes life in Pristina so easy?

Coffee! Growing up in Seattle I started drinking coffee at the age of 10. I live for a nice cup of gourmet coffee to start my day. So when I arrived in Pristina while I was disappointed by all the instant Nescafe, the macchiato was a real life saver. Yahoo just deemed Kosovo as home of the best macchiato, there is even rumor of an upcoming barista festival. Check out what makes this macchiato so delicious: https://www.yahoo.com/travel/wheres-the-best-macchiato-in-the-world-hint-its-99063462232.html

A Starbucks Mug is still in my Cabinet. No matter how much I love being overseas, there are always certain things a person will miss from home. For most Americans it’s peanut butter. Luckily, I’ve never liked peanut butter so instead I miss things like Mexican food, the voice of Anderson Cooper on CNN, certain hair products and seasonings. Sure, those things are lacking here, but many options do exist and the products on the shelves of the grocery stores are not so foreign. I’ve come across a long list of exciting finds like Tabasco sauce and Starbucks mugs. Despite this, one of the best pieces of advice passed along from a former Fulbrighter in Kosovo was this, “If you find something you really like it’s best to buy a lot of it because it might not be there when you go back”. Those comforting products are on a random delivery schedule but the good news is that they do show up to surprise you every now and then.

A Vibrant Community. Before moving to Pristina I put together a list of things I could do to keep my life as full and interesting as life back in DC. This list consisted mostly of things like reading more books, learning more languages, volunteering, exercising more, etc. For better or worse, that list is collecting dust due to the vibrant community and civil society that exists in Pristina. This is no sleepy town. Weeks are filled with panel events, art festivals, TedX Pristina, musical performances, oh and of course meeting new friends for coffee and the occasional rakija or American style beer from the newly launched Sabaja Brewery. While the recent conflict remains omnipresent, Kosvars are eager to engage, build a new future, and work with the international community. Pristina remains a hub for international organizations ranging from the OSCE, UNMIK, EU Commission, EULEX, and a laundry list of foreign donors. The presence of these international representatives keeps the demand for activity high, never allowing for a dull moment. This leads me to my next surprising comfort.

A New Alphabet Stew. Washington, DC is well known for its overuse of acronyms for the various federal agencies, think tanks, Embassies and development programs. If you’ve ever lived or work there you become familiar with terms like POTUS & FLOTUS, DOD, USAID, USTDA, DOS, ECA, USIP, CSIS, DOJ, IMF, MCC, UNDP, etc. Upon arrival in Pristina and starting my work with the Ministry of Local Government Administration I was quickly introduced to a whole new alphabet stew. Yes, you heard me right, I am actually happy about this! It makes me feel just a little more at home. My new alphabet stew even comes in two languages, English and Albanian (and even Serbian too if I venture that far). Out with US acronyms in with Kosovo acronyms, OPM, MLGA, MAPL, MEI, MESP, EUC, EUD, EUHR, EULEX, UNMIK, OSCE, and even a few familiar ones, USAID, UNDP, DOS.

Despite these comforts and the ease of settling in, certain aspects left me asking what normal actually is.

Wait, There’s No Running Water? That’s right, I’m on a water schedule. Daily from 6am – 11am and from 4pm – 11pm the water flows freely but if you turn on the tap outside of those hours it’s bone dry. The good news is that this problem only exists in part of the city, and it’s not really too much of a problem since you can plan for it. I’m looking at this as a learning opportunity. As an American we learn to expect 24/7 access to water and electricity, and have nearly everything within reach. For 10 months I get to experience what it’s like not to have those things.

My Apartment Has no Real Address and Dark Alleys Are Perfectly Safe. At home we are taught to avoid dark alleys at all costs. Now I live down a dark alley, oh, and by the way, my apartment has no official address. I asked my landlord what the mailing address was for my apartment to which his response was, “I’m not sure”. Recently I learned that over 17,000 roads in Pristina do not have names. Instead, people get around here by identifying landmarks rather than addresses. This gives you incentive to learn the city as quickly as possible!

The Recycling Queen Can’t Recycle. Growing up on the West Coast I was taught the three Rs, reduce, reuse, recycle, early on. My whole life I’ve been a recycling advocate and educator. Unfortunately, the recycling options here in Pristina are severely lacking, even basic waste management systems are lacking in many municipalities across the country. One day I noticed a neighbor had decided the tree across the street in the park was an appropriate trash receptacle. So, while my hopes for paper recycling are far from being realized, there are informal methods of recycling plastic bottles, one of which is coordinated by a local NGO, the Ideas Partnership. Their program works with underserved minority communities in Kosovo to collect plastic bottles around the city to then recycle them in exchange for small amounts of money. At least I’m doing a small part for the earth while helping those facing challenging economic conditions.

Smoking Indoors is…. errrr… Illegal? In April 2013 Kosovo’s Parliament passed a law banning smoking in public areas including restaurants and public buildings. For a non-smoker this was wonderful news! It’s nearly unbearable to be in a room filled with cigarette smoke. While many cafes are enforcing the ban (the fines for the perpetrator and the establishment are hefty) as the weather gets colder the enforcement of the ban is ever weaker. Inspectors stop inspecting around 11pm and the cigarettes come out, if not before then. I get it, it’s cold, who wants to interrupt a conversation and go stand outside in the cold to smoke? However, this blatant disregard for the rule of law points to the bigger issues Kosovo is facing as citizens see little accountability in governance here. If the country is serious about improving the rule of law, I say let’s start small by obeying the smoking ban (and save my lungs while you’re at it!).

These initial reflections on my day-to-day life in Pristina are a very, very, small portion of my adventures in Kosovo thus far. I’ve explored beautiful places around the country and region, learning more about the community challenges and policy practices while also experiencing the amazing Kosovar hospitality embodied by their saying of “bread, salt and heart”. With this saying Kosovars are known to offer this to every guest that enters their home, irrespective of their economic conditions. I’m overwhelmed and inspired by the open arms that have welcomed me to Kosovo. Thank you for the bread, salt and heart!

The view from my office in the Rilindja building as the sun was setting over Pristina.