After thirty years at the helm of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Igballe (“Igo”) Rogova stepped down from her position as Executive Director in May. Under her leadership, KWN grew out of the Rural Women’s Network, an informal network established in 1996, to become a renowned and leading network in Kosovo, the region and globally. With 104 women’s rights organisations of diverse ethnicities, (dis)abilities, ages, geographic areas and interests, KWN’s strength lies in the solidarity that Igo has nurtured among its members who unite to raise issues of shared concern at municipal, national and international levels. Through her active public engagement, collaboration with media and interactions with diverse women and men across Kosovo, Igo has established the Network’s image as a strong voice of diverse people, speaking truth to power and fighting injustice.
Under her leadership, the Network has tirelessly worked to protect, promote and further diverse women and girls’ rights in several areas, including: empowering dozens of women to enter politics and to excel; supporting the establishment of the legal framework for addressing gender-based violence in Kosovo, including a victim-centred approach to recognising and supporting women survivors of sexual violence in war; improving dozens of laws and policies towards furthering gender equality; empowering hundreds of women economically, including in realising their property rights; supporting improved access to healthcare for hundreds of women; supporting shelter and justice for survivors of domestic violence; and engaging women and men officials as allies in furthering equality, to name only a few accomplishments. Through the Network, she has assisted, mentored and empowered thousands of diverse women and men. This includes co-founding the Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality, which has brought together women in politics and civil society at local and national levels to increase women’s voice in politics and decision-making and jointly advocate progress towards gender equality.
An early advocate for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, she has challenged the approach of international missions and development initiatives when they failed to ensure women’s voices were heard. She has worked tirelessly to document and share these stories with high-ranking officials and women’s rights activists in other countries, so they could learn from Kosovo’s experience, such as through the widely read book 1325 Facts & Fables. In 2006, Igo was a motor behind the establishment and initiatives of the Women’s Peace Coalition (WPC), which joined KWN and Women in Black Network – Serbia in an independent citizens’ initiative founded on women’s solidarity that crosses divisions of ethnicity, religion and state borders. She also helped establish the Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace, Security, and Justice in South East Europe (RWL), a group of women leaders from political parties and civil society representing seven countries. WPC and RWL brought diverse women’s voices and priorities into the Kosovo-Serbia Negotiations and regional peace-making processes. In 2014-2015, she was a member of the High-level Advisory Group for the UN Global Study on UN Security Council Resolution 1325. She also has served on the NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security, twice.
For her work, Igo was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit for her “extraordinary commitment, courage and tireless dedication to advancing women’s rights and human rights” by the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani.
Igo plans to continue her activism and engagement in the women’s movement, contributing her vast expertise and supporting KWN’s work.
On 25 June, the KWN Board of Directors selected the new Executive Director, Nicole Farnsworth. Born and raised in the United States, Nicole has lived in Kosovo since 2003. In recognition of her contributions to women’s rights and gender equality, she was granted Kosovar citizenship by President Atifete Jahjaga. She has been with KWN since it initiated its process of formalisation in 2003, initially contributing to KWN’s public relations. For several years, she has served as KWN’s Deputy Director and Lead Researcher and has more than 20 years’ management and research experience. Nicole has (co)authored more than 35 publications relating to gender equality in different sectors in the Western Balkans (WB) and Kosovo, several of which have informed new laws, policies and practices. This includes co-authoring a book on the history of women’s rights organisations and activism since 1980 for the Kosovar Gender Studies Centre, History is Herstory, too, through which she became acquainted with many women’s rights activists, organisations and their contributions to social, political and economic change from 1980-2005. Through KWN, she has continued to work closely with KWN’s diverse membership. For more than 15 years, Nicole has represented KWN in numerous international fora and regional women’s networks, including advocating for Kosovo, women’s needs and gender equality to the European Union, United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and diverse governments. Having consulted for several organisations in Kosovo and abroad in more than eight countries, she has extensive experience supporting civil society development and advocacy. Nicole also has collaborated closely with government officials at municipal and national levels towards furthering gender equality, gender mainstreaming public policies and institutionalising gender-responsive budgeting. In the past, she has also worked with the Advocacy Training and Resource Centre, Kosovar Gender Studies Centre and Kosovo Stability Initiative. With a MSc in Sociology Research from London School of Economics, Nicole has a strong background in gender studies, social policy and development, politics and journalism. She completed her BA at New York University in politics and sociology with a minor in journalism.
With her commitment to and 22 years’ experience with the Kosovo, regional and global women’s movements, feminist approaches of power-sharing, consensus-based decision-making and inclusive approaches, Nicole looks forward to continuing to serve KWN and its members, building on the strong foundations laid by Igo and KWN’s membership.
