Press Release

UN Kosovo Team Welcomes Verdict in the Case of the Murder of Liridona Ademaj

21 April 2026

The United Nations Kosovo Team welcomes today’s verdict in the case of the murder of Liridona Ademaj.

Today’s decision by the Basic Court of Pristina delivers justice in the case of Liridona Ademaj and accountability for a crime that deeply shocked Kosovo. It sends a clear message that femicide and violence against women will be met with a firm response under the law.

We stand with her children, her family and all those affected, and reiterate the need for stronger, sustained action to prevent violence against women and girls and to ensure protection and accountability.

The UN Kosovo Team reiterate our commitment to supporting Kosovo institutions and partners in advancing prevention, protection, and access to justice, and in strengthening coordinated efforts to end all forms of violence against women and girls in Kosovo.

 

Stephen O’Malley
United Nations Development Coordinator

On behalf of the United Nations Kosovo Team

SoM

Stephen O’Malley

DCO
United Nations Development Coordinator
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Stephen O’Malley of Canada as the United Nations Development Coordinator in Kosovo. He took up his post on 2 August.

Mr. O’Malley has over 25 years of experience in humanitarian and development work. He most recently served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim in Kazakhstan from November 2024 to June 2025.

Prior to that, he was Director of the Peer-2-Peer Project, an initiative of the Interagency Standing Committee’s Emergency Directors Group, which provides peer support to humanitarian coordinators and humanitarian country teams. He concurrently served as Deputy Director a.i., Africa I in the Operations and Advocacy Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), having previously served as Deputy Director a.i. for Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mr. O’Malley held other leadership positions in OCHA, including Head of Office for OCHA South Sudan. He was also Head of the COVID-19 Team, Deputy Director of the Coordination and Response Division, and Chief of the Central Emergency Response Fund Secretariat in New York. From August 2013 to August 2018, he was the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Barbados and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.

Prior to joining the United Nations, Mr. O’Malley worked with the nongovernmental organization Médecins sans Frontières in Africa, Europe and North America. He started his career in the private sector with Decima Research in Toronto, Canada.

He holds a Master of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, USA, a Master of Arts in Political Studies, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University, Canada.

He is married and has two daughters.

UN entities involved in this initiative

FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
ILO
International Labour Organization
IOM
International Organization for Migration
OHCHR
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
RCO
United Nations Resident Coordinator Office
UN Women
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
UN-Habitat
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
UNDP
United Nations Development Programme
UNDSS
United Nations Department of Safety and Security
UNECE
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UNEP
United Nations Environment Programme
UNFPA
United Nations Population Fund
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF
United Nations Children’s Fund
UNODC
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
UNOPS
United Nations Office for Project Services
UNV
United Nations Volunteers
WHO
World Health Organization

Goals we are supporting through this initiative