Arbana Xharra

Arbana Xharra received the International Women of Courage Award in 2015.

Arbana Xharra is a journalist from Kosovo. In 2015 she won the International Women of Courage Award from the US State Department.[1][2][3]

Work

Arbana Xharra became a journalist in 2001.[4] She worked for Koha Ditore, Kosovo's first independent newspaper,[5] in 2006 and 2007. She wrote for Balkan Insight[6] and is now editor-in-chief of Zëri.[1]

Xharra writes about many public issues.[7] In 2006 she investigated government expense reports and problems with financial management. [6] In 2007, she wrote about inflation and food shortages.[8] In 2010 she wrote a report about the finances of the state-run Telecom of Kosovo. [7]

In 2012, Xharra had legal problems. She wrote a report about government corruption and about politicians' connections with local business. [9] The court decided that Xharra acted correctly. They said she followed the Code of Ethics for print media of Kosovo.[10]

In 2012, Xharra investigated the increase of religious activity in the former Yugoslavia.[11] She wrote about religious extremism and its effect on society. When she investigated Islamic extremists in Kosovo, she found connections with terrorist organizations. Xharra's report helped the government with the problem. After the report, she received death threats.[1][4]

Awards

Xharra won the UNDP Prize three times--in 2006, 2007, and 2008--for her articles on corruption in Kosovo.[9] In 2012 she won a Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence and studied the changing attitudes towards Islam in Kosovo.[12] In 2013 she won the Rexhai Surroi Award from the KOHA Group for an article on extremism. She also won the Stirring Up Debate Award from INPO Ferizaj[13] for starting public discussion on religious extremism.[14] In 2015 she won the US Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award.[1][15][16]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Arbana Xharra, wins the Secretary of State's IWOC award. RTK Live. March 2015. http://www.rtklive.com/en/?id=2&r=1060. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  2. "AWIU » 2015 IWOC Awardees". Archived from the original on 2017-05-18. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  3. "Biographies of 2015 Award Winners".
  4. 4.0 4.1 Flet gazetarja Arbana Xharra: Ekstremistet islamike më kanë kërcënuar me djemtë e mi. Koha Jone. 10 March 2015. http://www.kohajone.com/index.php/intervista/flet-gazetarja-arbana-xharra-ekstremistet-islamike-me-kane-kercenuar-me-djemte-e-mi. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  5. "KOHA Ditore Online". online.koha.net. KOHAnet. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Xharra, Arbana (October 17, 2006). "Kosovo report lifts lid on officials' lavish lifestyle". Balkan Insight. http://www.b92.net/eng/insight/opinions.php?nav_id=37399. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Wave of threats against print media journalists. Reporters Without Borders. 10 March 2010. http://en.rsf.org/kosovo-wave-of-threats-against-print-10-03-2010,36664.html. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  8. Leviev-Sawyer, Clive (23 November 2007). INSIGHT: The Kosovo formula?. Sofia, Bulgaria: The Sofia Echo. http://sofiaecho.com/2007/11/23/657635_insight-the-kosovo-formula. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Returning to the lawsuit against Arbana Xharra. Reporters Without Borders. 16 October 2012. http://en.rsf.org/kosovo-returning-to-the-lawsuit-against-11-10-2012,43528.html. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  10. Hoxha, Donjetë (21 January 2013). Zhugolli Humb Gjyqin Ndaj Gazetares Arbana Xharra. Jeta në Kosovë. http://gazetajnk.com/?cid=1,1018,4451. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  11. Xharra, Arbana (24 December 2012). Fissures in the Faith: Rise of Conservative Islamists Alarms Kosovans. Balkan Insight. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/fissures-in-the-faith-rise-of-conservative-islamists-alarms-kosovans. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  12. "Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence: 2012 Fellows". birn.eu.com. birn.eu.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  13. Two Awards for BIRN Fellowship Alumna Arbana Xharra. Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence. 27 December 2013. http://fellowship.birn.eu.com/en/about/two-awards-for-birn-fellowship-alumna-arbana-xharra. Retrieved 11 March 2015. 
  14. "Historiku". Progress Initiative. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  15. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/03/05/state-department-honors-international-women-of-courage
  16. "2015 International Women of Courage Award Winners - International Women of Courage Celebration". Archived from the original on 2017-03-27. Retrieved 2017-02-15.

Other websites