Arbana Xharra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arbana Xharra
Xharra received the International Women of Courage Award in 2015.
Citizenship	Kosovo
Occupation	Editor in Chief
Employer	Zeri

Arbana Xharra is a brave journalist from Kosovo. She is known for her important investigative reporting. She has won many awards for her work. In 2015, she received the International Women of Courage Award from the US State Department. This award honors women who show great courage and leadership.

Her Journey as a Journalist

Arbana Xharra started her career as a journalist in 2001. She worked for Koha Ditore, which was the first independent newspaper in Kosovo. This was from 2006 to 2007. She also wrote for Balkan Insight. Today, she is the editor-in-chief of Zëri, a newspaper in Kosovo.

Investigating Important Issues

Arbana Xharra believes that a strong and free press is vital for a healthy democracy. She thinks journalists should be able to investigate public concerns. She has written about many different topics.

For example, in 2006, she looked into how the government spent money. In 2007, she reported on rising prices and food shortages. In 2010, she questioned how a state-owned company, Telecom of Kosovo, was using its money. She also explored how businesses and politics were connected.

In 2012, she faced a legal challenge. This was after she reported on government corruption. Her report linked a local business with politicians. But the court decided she was right. They said she followed the rules for journalists in Kosovo.

From 2012, for about a year and a half, Arbana Xharra investigated the rise of certain religious activities. She looked into religious extremism and how it affected society. She found connections between some extreme groups in Kosovo and terrorist organizations. Her reports helped the government understand the problem. However, because of her brave reporting, she received threats and attacks on her reputation. She reported these to the police.

Public Service and Challenges

In May 2017, Arbana Xharra left her job at Zëri. She then joined a political party in Kosovo. A few days later, she was attacked in Pristina. Many leaders, journalists, and people in Kosovo spoke out against this attack. Arbana Xharra later left the political party in May 2018. She now works on research about Turkey and radicalization in the Balkans with a professor from NYU.

Awards and Recognition

Arbana Xharra has received many awards for her excellent journalism:

• She won the UNDP Prize three times (in 2006, 2007, and 2008). These awards were for her articles about corruption in Kosovo.
• In 2012, she received a Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence. This allowed her to study how views on Islam were changing in Kosovo.
• In 2013, she won the Rexhai Surroi Award for an article about extremism. She also received the Stirring Up Debate Award for encouraging public discussion on religious extremism.
• In 2015, she received the US Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award. This was for her brave work in Europe.
• In 2022, she was honored by the American magazine "My New York" for her heroism. [1].