Gender-responsive Budgeting

Programs

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) mission is to support, protect and promote the rights and interests of women and girls throughout Kosovo, regardless of their political and religious beliefs, age, level of education, sexual orientation and abilities. KWN has a vision of a Kosovo in which women and men are equal and have equal opportunities for education, employment, political participation, health care and a life without violence. KWN’s Strategy includes four program areas, described below. KWN implements its Strategy in close cooperation with its 140 member organisations and partners.

Gender-responsive Budgeting

Women in Politics and Decision-making
Gender-mainstreaming the EU Accession
Right to Health

The Problem

Despite legal commitments to gender equality, Kosovo’s implementation of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) remains weak. While more institutions submit GRB annexes, their quality is poor, and transparency is lacking. Key fiscal documents rarely explain how budgets support gender equality, and public consultations are often bypassed. Underfunding of priorities like childcare, labour oversight, disability support, and GBV services persists. Strengthening GRB is crucial to meeting legal obligations and promoting equitable public spending.

KWN’s Strategy

Improve the institutionalisation of gender-responsive budgeting in Kosovo, towards improving implementation of the Law on Gender Equality, realized through:

Fiscal policies more informed by gender analysis;
Increased capacities of CSOs to advocate for implementing GRB;
Increased officials’ knowledge about GRB;
Increased participation of women in public consultations on the budget;
Improved CSO participation in gender mainstreaming climate change financing.

Main Activities

Advocate for the institutionalization of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) in key laws and budget processes, including the Laws on Public Financial Management, Procurement, and Local Finance, and the 2026 Budget Law and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework.
Monitor GRB implementation through watchdog reports using SDG 5.c.1 and PEFA indicators.
Improve GRB capacities among ministries and municipalities, especially for social services and climate-related budgeting.
Finalize and publish gender analyses on transportation and climate change to inform more gender- and climate-responsive budgeting.
Lead costing of gender-based violence services across six Western Balkan countries and publish a regional report.
Advocate for tax removal on menstrual products with partners and member organizations.
Finalize and promote the Gender Budget Watchdog Network (GBWN) paper on donor accountability and strengthen GBWN’s influence through capacity-building and regional collaboration.
Continue training and mentoring CSOs, including Democracy Plus and the Mitrovica Women’s Association, to enhance GRB advocacy.

Our Achievements

Successfully advocated for the inclusion of a GRB Annex in the Budget Circular.
Co-developed Kosovo’s first GRB training curriculum with the Agency for Gender Equality and Kosovo Institute for Public Administration, certified trainers, and promoted its use nationwide with partners.
Strengthened the GRB capacities of 475 municipal and ministerial officials, supporting gender analyses across key ministries and local governments.
Conducted a pioneering global cost assessment of gender-based violence, with its methodology adopted internationally.
Secured a 67% increase in the 2025 state budget for violence shelters’ basic expenses compared to 2024, and a €128,776 (31%) increase for the Victim Protection and Assistance Office, as recommended, resulting in 10 new staff and a total workforce of 46 (a 28% increase).
Published Kosovo’s first briefs on the PEFA Gender Framework and SDG 5.c.1.
Helped establish and grow the Gender Budget Watchdog Network (GBWN), and built capacities of CSOs, funders, and municipal officials to advocate for GRB and engage women in budget processes.