On 26 March, Centre for Protection of Women and Children (CPWC) “Raba Voca”, held its last meeting under the framework of the initiative “Parental leave as a future model in Kosovo”. Part of this meeting were representatives of civil society, the municipality of Mitrovica and officials for Gender Equality.

Introductory, the Director of CPWC “Raba Voca”, Fidane Hyseni presented the achievements and challenges during the implementation of this initiative.

Whereas, Albulena Murati a psychologist in this organization revealed the research conducted on parental leave.

“The parents should be as good model as they can, aiming to be a good example for their children”, she stated.

Murati mentioned that according to the existing Labour Law, parental leave is not recognized. This because fathers are allowed of only two days off paid leave, as well as two unpaid weeks, a leave which they can use any time before the child is three years old.

However, in the amendment of Labour Law in which experts from civil society are contributing, the joint parental leave is intended, in which a period of 12 months of leave can be used by the mother, the father or even be shared between the two of them. Different actors involved in the process of amending the law have proposed different modalities regarding this leave.

150 citizens between the ages 19-70 from the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Skënderaj took part in this research.

In the research, on the question to whom the care of the kids belongs, the vast majority answered that it belongs to both parents. A percentage has answered that the care of children is a sole responsibility of women, and even a smaller percentage have estimated that caring of children belongs only to men. The findings of research suggest show that a very small number of people have used the joint parental leave from the workplace.

Hyka Imeri, Gender Equality Officer in Skenderaj Municipality, highlighted that “girls are being discriminated ever since they are in the mother’s womb, as soon as the baby’s gender is revealed. Tradition and mentality are very difficult to be changed”.

This initiative is supported by Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).