KWN held its first board meeting for 2013 on 15 Jan., during which board members elected the new KWN Board Chair: ArianaQosaj Mustafa. ElmazeGashi was elected Deputy Chair. They will serve two-year terms.

Board members also discussed installing membership fees for network members in order to support KWN’s numerous initiatives, members’ activities and services provided to members. The Board decided that KWN could start collecting membership fees in the amount of €20 per year.

After this, Nicole Farnsworth, KWN Program Manager, informed the board about recent changes made to the KWN Policy Manual as per the Kosovo Labor Law.

Board members also discussed the KWN Conflict of Interest Policy. They agreed that if KWN partners with organizations led by members of the Board or if other potential areas of conflict of interest arise (as defined by this policy), such issues must be discussed and approved by the Board. Based on this decision, Elmaze Gashi presented the project that Alter Habitus, an organization she leads, plans to undertake together with KWN. It involves research entitled “Where is the Money for Women’s Human Rights”. Since the research will contribute to the KWN Strategy, the Board decided that KWN and Alter Habitus could move forward with this collaboration.

Finally the Board discussed and agreed that KWN could open a new bank account for KWN’s sustainable, unrestricted fund. Towards KWN’s sustainability, the account will hold financial resources that are not already supported by donors. KWN will raise funds for this account through membership fees, fundraising events and individual donors (e.g., in the United States through the East-West Management Institute).

For more information, contact: info@womensnetwork.org.