The TACSO Kosovo Office will focus its activities on several aspects of the overall functioning of the CSOs. These activities include legal framework, the role of CSOs in the democratic process, general conditions for CSOs’ funding, CSO capacities, institutionalized cooperation between the government and CSO sector, capacities of the minority CSOs, CSOs’ participation in local government processes, and public trust and image of CSOs.
The Local Advisory Group (LAG) in Kosovo serves as a nationwide resource group for civil society development, policy making, strategic planning, advocacy and so on. It is also a natural link between the government institutions/units in charge of cooperation with CSOs at the central and grassroots level. The role of the LAG is to ensure that the project’s outputs match the needs of the beneficiary CSOs; providing advisory input to the project implementation, potentially acting as a capacity-building resource for the project and its role to act as a link between the project and local civil society.
Project Team
Ardita Metaj - Dika - Kosovo Resident Advisor
Ms. Metaj-Dika graduated at the Law Faculty, University of Prishtina and further pursued education and specialisation in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, transitional justice and EU integrations, comparative media law and policy, criminal law, etc. Ms- Metaj-Dika has extensive legal experience gained through almost 10 years of work as a legal expert/advisor and project coordinator on various posts both for international as well as national institutions (such as USAID – American Bar Association, OSCE, USAID Justice System Reform Activity Project). Until recently, she worked as the Project Coordinator at the Humanitarian Law Center- Kosovo- Minority Rights in Practice. She is a founding member of the International Media Lawyers Association.
Ms. Metaj-Dika has proven records in the field of research and analysis of legislation in the fields of human rights, criminal law, freedom of expression and judiciaries. She is engaged as a lecturer for human rights schools, government initiatives and other formal and informal teaching events. She is an author and/or co-author of many publications, for example Implementation of the Law on Use of Languages in Kosovo Institutions- local level, Humanitarian Law Center Report, October 2007; Guide to Minorities and Education in SEE Countries, Kosovo contribution, King Baudouin Foundation, 2007; Beginning of the Implementation of the Law on Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Communities and their Members in Kosovo, Humanitarian Law Center Report, December 2008, and others.
Shqipe Svecla – Project Officer
Shqipe Svecla works as the Project Officer on the TACSO project. Ms. Svecla has a university degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Prishtina, and different trainings on media related issues. She is responsible for the implementation of the program activities in the national project office and for the communication issues related with the media and other stakeholders in the country. She has more than nine years of professional experience in the Broadcast Regulation Agency as a Deputy CEO, Communication Officer for UNDP, Program Development Officer for an International NGO and Teacher of English/Project Assistant for local and international schools/universities.
Elheme Selmani-Rexhepi – Administrative and Financial Assistant
Elheme Selmani-Rexhepi works as the Administrative and Financial Assistant on the TACSO project. Ms. Selmani-Rexhepi studied Telecommunications with Informatics in Mitrovica. Further she has received a Bachelor’s Degree on Management and Informatics, Faculty of Economics. Currently she is studying at the Society of Certified Accountants and Auditors of Kosovo - SCAAK in Prishtina. Her key responsibilities and duties are: financial project accounting and follow-up, invoicing, liquidity forecast, monthly reporting, reconciliation of report, administrative support, providing guidance and assistance to CSOs to enable them to improve the management of the EU projects and other duties. She has more than ten years professional experience with international organisations in implementing and managing projects working as Logistics/Procurement Officer, Administration/Finance Officer and Regional Finance Manager.