True or false: Due to discrimination in hiring, the maternity leave provisions in Kosovo are contributing to unemployment among women? How much are businesses suffering financially from maternity leave provisions? Are men discriminated against considering the short time allotted for paternity leave? KWN believes that these and other questions pertaining to the Labour Law have not been sufficiently answered by existing research. 

Therefore, KWN is currently conducting research with the aim of informing the new Labour Law with evidence-based findings on topics such as maternity leave and paternity leave. This includes conducting over 400 interviews with small, medium, and large employers, collecting data from men and women through an online survey, and reaching men and women from rural areas through the same survey in hard copy. Driven by an official request from the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Arban Abrashi, KWN is working on the aforementioned influential policy changing research. In addition, the research is essential due to KWN’s belief that the new Labour Law should be drafted with citizens’ needs in mind. As no public consultations concerning this law have taken place yet, this is an important opportunity for Kosovo citizens to express their ideas and concerns related to this law and the policies stemming from it which directly affect their daily lives. KWN has not received any funding or donation for this initiative, and it is dependent on citizens’ willingness to share and participate in the surveys. The results of this research will be launched in early November.

Ongoing support to KWN from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the EU has enabled KWN staff members to set aside some of their time  for this much-needed research. However, the bulk of the work has been completed thanks to KWN team members working overtime and our dedicated volunteers: Dije Rizvanolli, Miranda Muharremi and Mirjeta Dibrani. Also, this research would not have been possible without the hard work of surveyors who conducted interviews with employers: Abetare Qarri, Beshir Seferi, Diana Mustafa, Drilona Gashi, Elona Osmani, Gentiana Cani, Ibrahim Kelmendi, Jetbardha Selmani, Luan Bajraj, Nazife Sopa, Nora Kelmendi, Qendrim Thaqi, Rinor Kutllovci, Rrita Mustafa, Skord Retkoceri, Shkendie Maxhuni, Visar Fejza, Yllka Bega, Ymer Latifi and Zana Smajli.