For two consecutive days (June 1-2), the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) participated in the EU Civil Society Forum for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2023. This event brought together over 150 participants, including representatives from civil society, EU officials, and government authorities, serving as a crucial platform for knowledge sharing and the development of strategies to promote civil society growth in the region.

One of the highlights of the 2023 Forum was the launch of the DG NEAR Guidelines for EU Support to Civil Society 2021-2027 Baseline Assessment Report. This vital document offers a detailed analysis of the state of civil society in the region, based on the 59 indicators outlined in the Guidelines.

Etleva Malushaj, a program officer at KWN, emphasized the importance of including a gender perspective in such reports while analyzing the findings of the baseline assessment report. She also requested that the methodology section should provide more demographic data for each country.

Furthermore, Malushaj highlighted the significance of breaking down the presented data by the type of participation of organizations in the assessment, as well as by gender, ethnicity, and ability. This breakdown would allow organizations working for women’s rights to further analyze the situation in the country.

The forum proceeded with thematic sessions, providing participants with an opportunity to exchange knowledge, practices, and ideas from their respective countries.