For more than five decades, Flora Brovina combined her profession with social and political activity. She was a pediatrician, poet, human rights activist, former political prisoner, Kosovo Liberation Army veteran, deputy during six legislative terms and one of the signatories of Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence, becoming one of the most recognized personalities of public, humanitarian, cultural and political life in the country.
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Born on 30 September 1949 in Skenderaj, Brovina completed the Faculty of Medicine and then specialized in pediatrics. She completed part of her specialization in Zagreb.
For years she developed her professional career as a pediatrician, including in the Pediatrics ward of the General Hospital of Prishtina. For about nine years she also worked as a health journalist at the newspaper “Rilindja,” combining medical work with public information and public activity.
The founding of the Albanian Women’s League
In 1992, when Kosovo was under severe political and institutional repression, Flora Brovina founded the Albanian Women’s League.
This organization focused on protecting women’s rights, providing humanitarian aid, health education and empowering women.
Brovina was also among the organizers of peaceful women’s protests against repression and violence, through which respect for human and national rights was demanded.
Her activity during the war in Kosovo
During the war years, she stayed in Kosovo and continued humanitarian and medical work in Prishtina.
Instead of leaving, Brovina continued to provide care to women, children and families affected by the war. During the same period, she also ran a shelter set up for women and children.
Serbian authorities accused her of having helped the Kosovo Liberation Army, including by providing food, clothing and medical supplies.
Because of her activity and engagement in wartime circumstances, Brovina was also known as a veteran of the KLA war.
The arrest and 19-month imprisonment in Serbia
Serbian forces arrested Flora Brovina in Prishtina on 20 April 1999, while the war in Kosovo was still ongoing.
At first she was held in Kosovo. Before international forces entered the country, Brovina was sent to Serbia together with hundreds of Albanian prisoners.
A court in Niš sentenced her on 9 December 1999 to 12 years in prison. International human rights organizations criticized the judicial process, while Human Rights Watch noted serious procedural irregularities.
Later, the Supreme Court of Serbia annulled this decision and ordered that the case be retried.
Amnesty International called Brovina a “Prisoner of Conscience” and launched an international campaign for her release.
Her case was also discussed in the European Parliament, while international institutions and organizations became involved in efforts to free Brovina.
Flora Brovina was released from prison on 1 November 2000, after spending about 19 months in prison.
International recognition and awards
Her activity drew the attention of international public opinion even while she was imprisoned.
Swedish PEN honored her in 1999 with the Tucholsky Prize, an award dedicated to writers who were persecuted, threatened or living in exile.
The following year, PEN American Center awarded her the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, recognizing her engagement as a doctor, poet and human rights defender.
In December 2000, Brovina received a civic courage award in Germany. In 2001 she was selected among the first laureates of the Millennium Peace Prize for Women, organized by UNIFEM in cooperation with International Alert.
In Kosovo as well, her work was recognized with decorations. President Atifete Jahjaga awarded her the “Mother Teresa” Humanitarian Medal in 2012, while President Hashim Thaçi decorated her in 2018 with the Presidential Jubilee Medal of the Tenth Anniversary of Independence.
Six legislative terms in the Assembly of Kosovo
After the war ended, Brovina continued her contribution through Kosovo’s institutions.
From 2001 to 2019, she served continuously as a deputy of the Assembly of Kosovo in six legislative terms.
She held her first mandate in Legislature I, during 2001–2004.
In Legislature II she was a deputy from 2004 to 2007.
She was part of Legislature III during 2007–2010.
In Legislature IV she served from 2011 to 2014.
Her mandate in Legislature V covered the years 2014–2017.
In Legislature VI she was a deputy during 2017–2019.
One of the main events of her political career took place on 17 February 2008. As a deputy, Flora Brovina became one of the signatories of Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence.
Thus, her public engagement extended from resistance and imprisonment during the war to participation in the act on which the state of Kosovo was founded.
Commitment to women’s rights
A fundamental pillar of all of Brovina’s activity was the protection and empowerment of women.
Through the Albanian Women’s League and other initiatives, she addressed issues related to the rights of women and children, education and healthcare, support for families affected by repression, women’s economic empowerment, dialogue and peace.
Her engagement also included documenting and addressing violence against women during the war, as well as efforts to increase the presence of women in public life.
Poetic creativity as part of her life
Alongside her contribution in medicine and politics, Flora Brovina carried out significant literary work.
Among her poetry works are “Vërma emrin tim,” “Bimë e zë,” “Luleborë” and “Mat e çmat.”
Womanhood, motherhood, the child, the homeland, freedom, war, prison and human dignity were among the themes that held an important place in her poetry.
Selected poems by Brovina were also published in English in the collection “Call Me by My Name: Poetry from Kosova,” translated by Albanologist Robert Elsie.
She also held the post of chairwoman of the Kosovo Writers’ League. Her connection with this organization had begun earlier, when she was a member of the presidency at the time the Kosovo Writers’ League was led by Ibrahim Rugova.
Later, Brovina took over the leadership of the organization and became its representative in cultural activities held in Kosovo and abroad.
Flora Brovina’s journey went from pediatrics to poetic creativity, from humanitarian activism to imprisonment and then to Kosovo’s state institutions. In her figure were combined fields that rarely come together in a single person: medicine, humanism, literature, resistance and politics.
