On October 30, the Kosovo Women’s Network, as a member of the Kosovo Women’s Economic Forum (KWEF), organized a meeting at the offices of the KWN with the Deputy Minister of Finance, Labor, and Transfers, Mr. Agon Dobruna, and the General Secretary of this Ministry, Mr. Enis Spahiu. Additionally, on October 31, KWN arranged a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti. During both meetings, they discussed the Draft Law on Labour, focusing on the provisions that regulate maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave, as well as the discussion on gender-responsive budgeting.

The KWEF in partnership with the Kosovo Initiative for Stability (IKS) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), and with the support of approximately eighty civil society organizations, has introduced a collaborative model for maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave. This model is derived from the positioning document associated with Labor Law No. 03-212 and includes an analysis with recommendations for the institutionalization of a responsible gender budget for Kosovo in the year 2024.

Prime Minister Kurti explicitly agreed that without gender equality, we cannot achieve social equality. Both Prime Minister Kurti and the members of the KWEF emphasized the significance of collaboration between state institutions and civil society to bolster economic development and eradicate social inequalities that impede the economic independence of women and girls.

Following the extensive discussion, Prime Minister Kurti pledged a personal commitment to address the provisions of maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave. During this meeting, we also agreed to schedule another meeting in the upcoming month of November.

Deputy Minister Dobruna informed the members of KWEF that work is underway on the draft Labor Law, and it is anticipated that it will be publicly discussed and supported within this year. He endorsed KWEF’s initiative to establish more favorable conditions in the labor market and to strive for a society where the family is at the forefront. Mr. Spahiu also updated us on the progress of amending the relevant laws.

After a lengthy discussion on numerous topics pertaining to the economic empowerment of women, we reached an agreement to foster cooperation and address these issues through working groups involving both civil society and the government.

The Women’s Economic Forum comprises a coalition of civil society organizations with the following composition: Riinvest Institute; Kosovo Women’s Network; Democracy for Development (D4D); Kosovo Center for Gender Studies; Network of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian Women’s Organizations of Kosovo; Kosovo – Women 4 Women; and the GAP Institute.