The “Women Propose” publication outlined women’s recommendations for political party platforms.

KWN Campaign Encourages Political Parties to Work for Women

The Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) Political Parties Work for Women Campaign aimed to incorporate women’s preferences and ideas into political parties’ electoral platforms for the 2004 general elections. To do this, from November 2003 through March 2004, the Network organized meetings with women from all of Kosova’s 30 municipalities. Women from politics, civil society and all ethnic communities in Kosova participated.

As a result, 30 Women’s Advocacy Groups were formed – one representing each municipality. The groups met with women in each municipality to discuss the priorities and concerns they had for their communities. More than 1000 women attended these meetings. Based on their discussions, the Women’s Advocacy Groups drafted platforms of women’s political preferences, which were submitted to political parties.

KWN and OSCE organized a roundtable to present the campaign’s results and to promote the publication “Women Propose,” which included women’s recommendations. Shqipe Pantina was KWN’s Campaign Coordinator. The wide media coverage at the local and national level contributed greatly to the campaign’s success. The campaign was supported by the OSCE Democratization Department with technical assistance from STAR Network of World Learning and UNIFEM.