In accordance with international law, principles of human rights and the existing legal framework in Kosovo, institutions have obligation to investigate, pursue and to punish perpetrators of acts of domestic violence. These two conventions are directly applicable in Kosovo legislation, incorporated in Kosovo's new Constitution, adopted on 15 June 2008. Report was prepared by Ardita Bala from Peja/Pec-based Women Wellness Centre (WWC).

30 years after the design and the implementation of United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Albania, like many other countries, has in place a legal framework and mechanisms that aim to improve the actual situation of women and girls. Albania signed CEDAW in 1993, and CEDAW is now superseded to all national laws drafted by the Albanian government during the transition period. Under the provisions of the Convention, Albania should take action and build all necessary mechanisms to implement it. Contribution by Blerta Picari.

The 1981 Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination of Women (hereinafter CEDAW), as one of the most important international instruments for protection of women human rights was ratified by Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993 and became an integral part of the BIH legal and constitutional system in 1995. CEDAW presents a catalogue of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights of women that signatory countries are obligated to implement in all areas of life. This analysis was contributed by Zilka Spahić-Šiljak from ACIPS.

The Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has been part of Croatian legal system since October 8, 1991, while the Optional Protocol was adopted on March 7, 2001. So far, Croatia has submitted three reports to the CEDAW Committee. The Initial Report was submitted in 1994 and was reviewed in 1998. The Special Report on Women Victims of War in Former Yugoslavia was submitted and reviewed in 1995, and the Combined 2nd and 3rd Report was submitted in 2003, and was reviewed by the Committee in 2005. At the moment, the Government is working on the Combined 4th and 5th Report.

This article was contributed by Ivana Radačić and Nikolina Patelen, women studies scholars.

Macedonian legislation is fairly well synchronized with the provisions of the Conventions. Macedonian Constitution proclaims the equalitz for all citizens in their rights and freedoms, regardless of sex, race, skin-colour, national and social background, political and religious beliefs, property and social status. This article was contributed by Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women in Macedonia (ESE).

Over the past two decades or so in Serbia, politics were elsewhere - women rights and CEDAW in particular were not topic of discussion for mainstream politics. The phrase "the time is not right" is quite common; over the past 20 years or so in Serbia, there were always more urgent and pressing issues and a variety of obstacle to prevent change. There was an obvious permanent lag during the 1990s, all the way through 2008 (the results of current policies will be visible only in a couple of years).

Maja Šarkanović-Volk, an independent consultant to the US Government on media relations and Balkan affairs, writes for TransConflict that the speeding-up of integration of the Western Balkans into the EU will require the creation of new momentum through greater financial investment and the deployment of individuals with significant political and diplomatic clout.