As of 13 to 18 November, KWN actively participated in the EU Advocacy Week, which is organised and supported annually by Kvinna Till Kvinna.

KWN joined forces with the Kosovar Gender Studies Center (KGSC) and Mitrovica Women Association for Human Rights (MWAHR) to advocate for the priorities of diverse women and men, girls and boys, in relevance to the current Kosovo-EU enlargement talks.

More specifically, the Kosovar WCSOs delegation advocated strongly for better gender mainstreaming of security issues and the reconsideration of the EU imposed measures throughout Kosovo, given that there was lack of gender analysis to inform the measures decision.

Further, the delegation touched upon other significant topics, such as the gender mainstreaming of the European Commission Country Reports, specifically in relation to gender based violence and Rule of Law, requesting for a stronger language and increased collaboration with WCSOs to inform yearly input for the EC Reports.

Amid many meetings, KWN would like to emphasize as most fruitful, the meetings which

Irene Ceccanti, Administrative and Policy assistant at DG NEAR; Coordinator – Gender Equality and Rights of the Child and Chloe Laurens Dinsdale, Team Leader Human Rights and Civil Society Gender Mainstreaming in EU Accession Processes, in the enlargement package and GAPIII, where KWN informed the two officials on the findings of the latest commentary which KWN prepared in relation to the EC Kosovo 2023 Report.

Further, and focused in more detail on the situation in Rule of Law, KWN met Kosovo Desk Officer – Vivien Savoye, Rule of Law Desk, Kosovo as well as Giulio Crespi, Gender Focal Point, European Commission, where KWN, KGSC and MWAHR shared their concerns related to many significant laws pertaining the wellbeing of women which remain pending and unadopted from the government.

Whereas on the meeting with Djordje Bojovic, Western Balkans Advisor, Office of Viola von Cramon MEP, KWN and MWAHR reiterated the need to include more women in the political dialogue and in consulting them closely, especially in relation to the latest violence events in the north of Kosovo.

KWN also emphasizes the importance of the launching report of the “Women’s Rights in the Western Balkans” report, with data collected and consolidated by Kvinna Till Kvinna, in close consultation with WCSOs from the region, including KWN.

KWN continues to monitor EU Accession from a gender perspective.