KWN members discuss ideas and share experiences towards women’s economic empowerment.

KWN Convenes Economic Empowerment Group

KWN organized a workshop with its Economic Empowerment Working Group on 6 Mar. The workshop had two sessions: Economic
Empowerment of Women through Income Generation and the Rights of Women on Inheritance and Property.
The first session was attended by 21 representatives of 17 KWN member organizations. KWN member NGOs presented their work
towards women’s economic empowerment. Then Besa Shehu, KWN Administrative and Finance Manager, opened a discussion on steps
towards economically empowering women in Kosovo via income generation.
KWN presented the idea of supporting its members to pool their members’ handmade products for sale. Among the proposed steps included: collecting women’s handmade products for presentation; photographing products; and gathering information on inputs and timeframes required for production. Members also discussed the need to standardize products for export. They decided that products must be based on traditions, but also innovative and adapted to current market demands. Members agreed to produce a short documentary about women’s handmade products, assisted by Albulena Shabani, a mtvU Fulbright Fellow in Filmmaking.
The second Working Group on “Women’s Inheritance and Property Rights” involved seven KWN member organizations. In Kosovo, the traditional, patriarchal mentality and insufficient citizen knowledge obstruct the implementation of the Law on Inheritance and Property. Participants discussed the financial freedom and stability that this law can give women. Women’s economic empowerment also contributes to minimizing the likeliness that women might suffer violence.
During the workshop, KWN members generated ideas for implementing and enforcing this law. They proposed that KWN involve law students in monitoring judges to identify whether they are implementing the law. Members also discussed organizing awareness campaigns to educate the population about women’s and men’s legal rights.
KWN is currently seeking funds to undertake the initiatives recommended by members.