Kosovo Women's Network

New Report: Who Cares? Offers Ways to Expand Childcare Availability in Kosovo, Calls for Recognition of Women’s Unpaid Work

04.11.2016

On 1 Nov. 2016, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) Project officially launched a new report: Who Cares? Demand, Supply, and Options for Expanding Childcare Availability in Kosovo.

Written by KWN, this research examines the level of demand for childcare in Kosovo, current supply by public and private service providers and the still unmet demand for childcare in Kosovo. The research found that only an estimated 15.5% of Kosovar children have access to childcare in Kosovo currently. Children residing in rural areas in particular lack access to childcare, and 12 municipalities do not seem to have any childcare facilities available at all. Further, 88% of unemployed women interviewed through the 2016 study said they would seek employment if they could find childcare for their children.

“Several studies have shown that care responsibilities at home contribute to women’s low participation,” the report states. “Traditional gender roles and responsibilities in most cultures have assigned unpaid care work to women. Unpaid care work can impact negatively women’s education levels, labour force participation, political involvement and poverty levels later in life.”

In the context of women’s low labour market participation in Kosovo (18.1%) and government priorities to increase access to pre-primary education, stated in the National Development Strategy, this report puts forth several models that could be used towards expanding childcare availability in Kosovo. Transforming presently unpaid childcare services, provided primarily by women, into paid services can create thousands of new jobs for men and women, the report argues, amounting to €50.6 million in new earnings annually. Further, investing in expanding childcare availability in Kosovo can contribute to children’s improved educational achievement and women’s increased labour force participation.

During the official launching event, participants had the opportunity to discuss first-hand with practitioners different models of public-private partnerships, private co-financing, and community-based childcare centres.

Since PPSE and KWN strongly believe that evidence can inform action, the presentation was followed by PPSE’s call for applications for its Opportunity Fund, towards expanding childcare availability. Through this Fund, PPSE will provide grants to private businesses, community-based initiatives, public administrative units and CSOs interested in investing in sustainable solutions for expanding childcare in Kosovo. For further information, visit: www.ppse-kosovo.org.

Focusing on five geographic areas, this research involved a random household survey of 491 unemployed women with children, a survey of 519 employed women and men, interviews with 61 employers, interviews with 51 public and private childcare centres, and interviews with public officials.

This publication and event was made possible by the Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) project, led by a consortium of Swisscontact as lead partner, Riinvest Institute and PEM Consult, and financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Office in Kosovo.

The report is available in English, Albanian and Serbian at: Who Cares? Demand, Supply, and Options for Expanding Childcare Availability in Kosovo

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

Exemplary Kosovo Women’s Fund Informs EU Sub-granting Programs Internationally

25.10.2016

On 19 Oct. in Brussels, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) presented its Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) to civil society focal points from delegations working in European Commission (EC) Neighbourhood and Enlargement countries, as well as representatives from the headquarters of the EC’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) and European External Action Service (EEAS).

“Your insights concerning the experience of the Kosovo Women’s Network (WN) on using sub-granting to reach out to grass-root organizations will be very valuable,” stated Lawrence Meredith, Director of “Neighbourhood East” in DG NEAR. KWN’s presentation was organized at his invitation and with support from the EC.

KWF offers an example of best practices in supporting under-reached civil society organizations (CSOs), including those working in rural areas and with vulnerable groups.

KWF provides women-led CSOs with the resources they need to make changes within their communities. KWN’s unique approach to funding seeks to encourage solidarity among women’s rights activists and collaboration in working together as a women’s movement in implementing the KWN Strategy for 2015-2018, designed and adopted by KWN member organizations.

During her presentation, Nicole Farnsworth, KWN Program Manager, emphasized the importance of giving long-term, institutional support to CSOs, enabling them to react rapidly to unforeseen policy or contextual changes and to plan and implement longer-term strategies that have greater impact. Related, she stated that donors’ current approaches to monitoring and evaluation need to be reviewed.

“Social change, particularly shifting gender norms and relations, takes time,” she said. “We cannot show impact overnight.” Longer-term, institutional support would allow CSOs to show greater impact over time, she said.

Established in 2012, KWF has sought to meet the needs of women-led CSOs that do not have access to funding from other donors. KWF was created via a very participatory process involving KWN member organizations. They discussed and decided upon the priority sectors, criteria, selection process, and membership of the Grants Review Committee, which scores applications towards selecting grant recipients. Grants up to €4,000 for an individual CSO and €8,000 for partnerships can last up to 18 months. CSOs that lack access to other funding, are in rural areas, work with ethnic minority groups, work with youth, and/or work with other vulnerable groups receive priority funding.

The KWF is somewhat unique in that all applicants can receive equal mentoring and support in preparing their project proposals. CSOs that do not receive grants receive letters explaining the reasons why and assistance with revising proposals for the next round. Grant recipients receive tailored mentoring throughout project implementation including in organizational management, financial management, public relations and advocacy strategies.

Since 2012, KWN has given 90 grants amounting to €259,092, from which 92 different organizations have benefitted, some in partnerships. At least 9,138 women and men have benefitted directly from grants (87% women), and 2,964 women have participated in decision-making processes, some for first time. KWF grants have enabled KWN members to advocate successful for at least 13 policy changes. KWN members’ project proposal writing skills, enhanced through KWF, have enabled several CSOs to secure funds from other donors for the first time.

A 2013 report entitled Where’s the Money for Women’s Rights? by KWN and Alterhabitus identified many of the needs when the Fund was established. The research involved surveying 90 women-led organizations and 40 donors in Kosovo. At that time, most CSOs had witnessed a decrease in funding and had insufficient resources for addressing issues they considered priorities. Further, 70% of CSOs had to reduce staff, cut activities, or work voluntarily. Additionally, 36% of CSOs were in jeopardy of closing, and some had closed with dire consequences for vulnerable groups. Organizations outside the capital, without English language skills and without computers faced significant challenges in accessing support. At the time, only 5 of 40 donors interviewed had earmarked funding for women-led organizations. Cutbacks in staff among donors decreased their ability to manage several small grants to different organizations.

This research was carried out in close collaboration with the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) and its international research initiative. KWN and Alterhabitus adapted AWID’s methodology to examine the needs of groups that do not have internet access or knowledge of the English language.

Recent AWID research has shown that women’s rights activists internationally continue to face shrinking spaces for their advocacy work and remain limited by short-term resources and insufficient core support.

KWF initially received support from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation. Today, the Austrian Development Agency and the European Union Office in Kosovo finance KWF.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

Rogova Attends the First Meeting of NATO’s New Advisory Panel on UNSCR 1325

18.10.2016

The first Annual Meeting of the NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel (CSAP) on Women, Peace and Security is being held in Brussels from 17-18 October, where Igballe Rogova, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) Executive Director is attending as a member of the Core Group.

NATO and its partners recognize the important role of civil society in promoting the Women Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, and in promoting women’s and girls’ empowerment and the protection of their rights. Through the new Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security (CSAP), NATO wishes to more systematically draw upon the insights and expertise of civil society, and to benefit from civil society contributions as it moves the agenda on WPS forward. Through this meeting, NATO seeks to ensure a continued dialogue with civil society actors on matters concerning WPS, including in the planning and execution of NATO-led operations and missions. The NATO Special Representative on Women, Peace and Security, Ambassador Marriët Schuurman, has led the initiative to establish the CSAP, and is its main interlocutor at NATO.

Rogova’s selection was based on recommendations received from nations and international organisations. Membership is fixed for a period of two years and is renewable. The Civil Society Advisory Panel has two groups, including the Core Group of civil society persons participating in their own capacity and the Group of CSOs that each selects one person to represent the CSO on the Panel. The second meeting is expected to be held in May 2017, so as to facilitate dialogue in advance of the 2018 revision of NATO’s 1325 policy and action plan.

Rogova often has been heralded as a pioneer in her advocacy work on UNSCR 1325. Since the Resolution’s passage in 2000, Rogova has used it in advocating for women’s right to participate in decision-making processes, initially in Kosovo’s post-war reconstruction phase. She instigated the drafting of a very influential report for NATO and other actors entitled 1325 Facts and Fables on the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security in Kosovo. She was deeply involved in supporting the establishment of the President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga’s interministerial National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence; in advocacy for justice and reparations for women who suffered sexual violence during the war; and in regional truth and reconciliation commissions on this issue. Rogova also advocated for and later participated in the drafting of Kosovo’s National Action Plan to implement Resolution 1325.

Most recently, Rogova served on the UN High-level Advisory Group for the Study on the implementation of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

For the last 15 years Rogova has shared her knowledge and experience on best practices for implementing the Resolution with several militaries and civil society activists in other conflict and post-conflict countries.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

“Enough Excuses”: Kosovar Society Protests against Domestic Violence

17.10.2016

On Mon., 17 Oct. 2016, at Zahir Pajaziti Square in Prishtina, more than 200 activists from the group Albanian Feminists, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), the Group of Women Assembly members from the Municipality of Gjakova, other civil society organizations and individual women and men protested against the violence perpetrated against a girl from the Municipality of Rahovec. The violence that occurred in front of the high-school “12 May” has spurred numerous reactions against violence perpetrated against the girl. Protestors sought justice form Kosovo institutions for this and other cases of violence in Kosovo.
Women, girls, men and boys protested by holding banners with slogans, such as “not reporting an act of violence is a crime”, “seek justice” and many other slogans demanding an end to violence. They called upon all institutions in Kosovo and Kosovo society oppose violence, using the slogan: “Enough excuses!”
Through this protest, citizens asked institutions to perform their duties with professionalism and for citizens who witness violence to report it. For more information about this case, see:
http://www.womensnetwork.org/documents/20161016191216422.pdf.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

European Reform Agenda Reviewed from a Gender Perspective

12.10.2016

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) has sent official input on the European Reform Agenda (ERA) to the EU Office in Kosovo and the Ministry of European Integration. ERA is a document drafted by the government of Kosovo with the purpose of expediting Kosovo’s progress in joining the European Union (EU). ERA is comprised of 17 priorities, identified by the government as of primarily importance for Kosovo to address by the end of 2017. The priorities are divided in three groups: Good Governance and Rule of Law, Competitiveness and Investment Climate, and Employment and Education. KWN sought to mainstream a gender perspective within each of these areas.

Related to Good Governance and Rule of Law, KWN noted that the Law on Gender Equality (LGE) provisions relating to equal representation of women and men in all institutions need to be implemented in all independent institutions, agencies and regulatory bodies. KWN recommended that measures are put in place to ensure equal representation of women and men in all public institutions, at all decision-making levels, in line with the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) and LGE. When implementing mandatory electronic procurement, E-Systems should include fields for gender-disaggregated data in line with the LGE and best practices in gender responsive budgeting (GRB).

On Competitiveness and Investment Climate, KWN recommended that the Kosovo Investment Enterprise Agency (KIESA) include a quota for supporting women-led businesses and/or a specific grants category for women-led businesses towards furthering their competitiveness, so that both women and men benefit from these expenditures in line with the EU GAP and the LGE, regarding GRB. In order to address the informal economy, KWN emphasized that no clear data exists regarding the nature of the informal economy. Therefore, prior to creating a strategy and action plan to address it, the government must research the informal economy to better understand it. The strategy and action plan must be informed by gender analysis, undergo review from a gender perspective and attend to the different ways women and men may be represented within the informal economy. Otherwise, actions to address the informal economy may have a negative impact on the wellbeing of women or men specifically, perhaps unintentionally.

On Employment and Education, KWN recommended that the Sectoral Strategy for Employment and Social Policy and its Action Plan be reviewed by gender experts. It must consider the different employment rates of diverse women and men of all ages in Kosovo. Further, implementation of the new curricula and textbooks must involve proper gender review. In addition to scientific mistakes in textbooks, discriminatory and gender insensitive language is frequently used in textbooks at present. Gender experts should be part of the process to ensure that the new curricula and textbooks do not contain such language nor reinforce traditional gender roles. Additionally, the planned teacher training programs should include gender training so teachers do not reinforce traditional gender roles, and so that they learn to better teach sensitive topics, such as reproductive health.

In addition to the priorities already identified in the ERA, KWN proposed additional priorities: 1) furthering human rights and gender equality within governance and public administration reform; and 2) improving the work of the Labour Inspectorate, including better address of gender discrimination at work, which KWN’s research has shown to be fairly widespread in Kosovo. The Inspectorate can increase inspections related to safety at work for pregnant women, maternity leave, and discrimination in hiring.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

Staff Report to Members on Implementation of KWN Strategy

12.10.2016

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) held its regular bimonthly members’ meeting, on 5 Sep. During this meeting, KWN staff members presented progress on implementing the KWN Strategy 2015-2018. Afterwards, there was an information session for the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF).

Related to KWN’s first program, building the capacity of its members, the Project Assistant for KWF, Gentiana Murati, informed about the funds that have been allocated since the beginning of the strategy until now. From 2015 until now 37 grants were given and the number of members who have received grants in total is 94, while the number of beneficiaries from the beginning of the total strategy is 9.138. According to Gentiana the number of women participating from 2015 was 1,327 and the total amount distributed from January to June 2016 was 64.400, and the total since 2012 is 295,092 euro. She also informed about a change in individual grants that are now two types, from 3000 euro to 4000 and 8000 euro in partnership.

For KWN’s second program, empowering women in politics and decision-making, KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova said that, KWN has supported the establishment of 27 Lobby for Gender Equality groups with approximately 954 members from civil society and politics, including municipal Gender Equality Officers (GEO’s).

Nicole Farnsworth, KWN Program Manager and Lead Researcher noted that this year the advocacy efforts of KWN and its members have led to 14 policy changes at the municipal level and seven at the national level. Further, KWN has supported the EU Office in Kosovo in creating a strategy for implementing the EU Gender Action Plan in Kosovo and advocated to the Ministry of European Integration for all documents related to EU Accession to have a gender perspective.

Also, following consultations with officials from all over Kosovo and the Agency for Gender Equality, KWN compiled for the Kosovo Institute for Public Administration three new curricula for gender equality.

Related to KWN’s program on women’s access to healthcare, KWN has collaborated with Dartmouth College, the University of Pristina and several volunteers, to survey 1,309 women and men in Kosovo, conduct approximately 100 interviews with medical practitioners and a legal analysis. The report currently is being drafted and will inform KWN’s future advocacy related to women’s health. KWN also is now member of the Coalition of Organizations for Reproductive Health and Reproductive Health Rights.

Also related to this program, with funding from KWF, KWN member the Center for the Promotion of Women’s Rights supported 62 women to receive free health services; 118 women are more aware of their right to health.

Related to KWN’s addressing gender-based violence program, KWN Research Assistant, Adelina Berisha, said that KWN in cooperation with its member organization Girls Coding Kosova and Open Data Kosovo have launched the application "EcShlirë", an application for reporting sexual harassment. It has been downloaded 782 times and 242 cases were reported.

Further, KWN has trained 100 probation and correctional officers on domestic violence and working with women’s organizations in the rehabilitation and reintegration of perpetrators. Additionally 650 men and women participated in awareness-raising events related to gender-based violence in which KWN was involved in organizing or supporting, including: One Billion Rising, March 8 and FemArt festival (organized by the member organization Artpolis).

Under the KWN program on women’s economic empowerment, Gender Analyst Iliriana Banjska spoke about KWN’s achievements related to gender responsive budgeting. KWN advocated to the Ministry of Finance, which included reference to gender responsive budgeting in its Budget Circular 2017 / 01, including templates created by KWN for institutions. Further, 94 officials are now more aware about gender responsive budgeting following KWN’s training and mentoring.

In June 2016, KWN published a Better Budgeting for Educationtowards informing the budget of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology with gender analysis. KWN also supported the Municipality of Hani i Elezit to carry out gender budgeting. Gjakova and Kamenica have continued without KWN support, in carrying out gender responsive budgeting this year, a sign of sustainability. Now KWN is working with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, who have included annexes with gender disaggregated data to their first budget submission.

After the presentation of KWN’s achievements thus far this year, Rogova noted a request by UN Women for KWN to give individual grants for survivors of sexual violence during the war. KWN has not dealt with individual grants, but rather with grants related to capacity building for members.

“We have suggested to UN Women to establish a commission, where women can apply through organizations and the Commission decides on the allocation of funds,” she said.

Many members said that KWN has associations that work with those issues and that it is better to go through associations who work with women.

Rogova also informed members that UN Women has published a report on reparations for women survivors of sexual violence during the war. However, the true history of the work that women’s organizations carried out to bring this issue to the forefront was not included. Members discussed sending a statement about this.

Representatives of KWN member organizations then shared information. Hafije Qyqalla, Director of NGO “Arta” spoke a fashion festival, to promote handicrafts made by survivors of sexual violence during the war, during which 665 donations were gathered.

After a break, KWN staff explained what KWF project applications should contain and encouraged members to apply by the deadline on 16 Sep. 2016.

This important networking event was supported by the European Union Office.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

UNDP Endorses KWN Recommendations for Maternity and Paternity Leave

12.10.2016

On 8 Sep. UNDP published its human development report in Kosovo for 2016, which included recommendations from KWN’s report “Striking a Balance: Policy Options for Amending Kosovo’s Law on Labour to Benefit Women, Men, Employers and the State’”.

These recommendations related to amending the Labour Law to include more equitable maternity and paternity leave provisions, towards improving women’s access to the labor market. This followed significant evidence that women are facing discrimination in hiring and during and after pregnancy.

KWN’s has recommended that amendments to the Labor Law allow for shared paid leave of up to three months each for both mothers and fathers, totaling six months of leave. Further, paternity and paternal leave will promote men’s involvement in child care and offer men more equal rights to parenting, which could impact social norms and traditional roles of women and men in society.

According to the UNDP report, Making the Labour Market Work for Women and Youth,women and youth are the most vulnerable and excluded from the labor market.

Following the presentation of findings, panelists including KWN’s Iliriana Banjska, discussed the UNDP report where Banjska explained how KWN has surveyed women and men in the labor market to see how they have been affected by the current leave provisions, the availability of child care facilities and socio-cultural norms that are barriers to women’s access to the labor market.

“The argument that economic growth and increasing the number of jobs will solve the problem of a high unemployment rate is not entirely correct,” she said. I Simply creating jobs will not help “"if we don’t tackle socio-cultural norms that discriminate against women in entering the labor market and influence the type of work that they are deemed able to do.”

UNDP Senior Advisor Ben Slay noted that the report calls for measures to educate youth and women. In terms of unemployment, it provides concrete policy recommendations.

The Finnish Ambassador to Kosovo, Anne Huhtamäki, encouraged the empowerment of women, the establishment of care systems and parental leave as important tools to help women enter the labor market.

The meeting concluded with panelists agreeing for the need to increase women’s labour market involvement, and, to this end, the importance of shared parental leave.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

Women in Vushtrri Learn about Gender Responsive Budgeting

12.10.2016

On 26 Aug. 2016, the Initiative for Agriculture Development of Kosovo and Women’s Center ATO organized a meeting with 15 women from different villages of the municipality of Vushtrri to discuss gender responsive budgeting.

Women had the opportunity to learn what gender responsive budgeting entails, as well as how women from rural areas can contribute to their community’s benefit, by attending public consultations on the budget. All present women had never heard before about municipal public consultations. Nor did they know that they could attend such meetings and present their concerns.

Participants were motivated to take part in public meetings and their requests were very clear. For example, participants expressed their concern about the lack of control over wastewater, which has covered their fields, thus making them unusable. Another problem is the huge number of stray dogs, which is becoming more dangerous for children.

“I need to wake up two hours earlier to take my son to school because he is a little child and I’m afraid that something might happen to him”, said a participant.

During this meeting, Donjeta Morina, KWN Coordinator for Capacity Building, informed women about the Law on Gender Equality, which guarantees equality between women and men. Municipalities can make progress toward gender equality through expenditures, by ensuring that the use of public resources meets the priority needs of both women and men.

This is foreseen by the Law on Gender Equality, which requires gender responsive budgeting. Through this initiative, women from villages Skrom, Sllakovc, Novolan, Maxhunaj, and Bukosh, have been offered trainings and got motivated to create their own income, undertake agricultural activities and apply for subsidies to expand their businesses.

This project in partnership funded by the Kosovo Women’s Fund, is supported from Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

“Modern Woman” Involves Women More in Political Processes

12.10.2016

On 29 Aug. 2016, “Modern Woman” held the closing meeting of the project “Not only a number” supported by the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) Kosovo Women’s Fund. In this meeting, the Assembly of the Municipality of Prizren, the lecturer Bahri Zeneli from the Academy of Training and Technical Assistance (ATTA), representatives from KWN and students who have been part of the project participated.

Young women who were interested to join politics had the opportunity to meet and discuss issues important to women and the challenges women politicians face with women assembly members.

The meeting aimed to identify ways to increase opportunities for women and girls to become involved in politics. In this way, governance will include women who voice the needs of women and girls who are not involved in politics.

Assembly members spoke about ways to increase the number of women in politics and why their participation is important. An assembly member noted that at the central and local level, the percentage of women in politics is quite small. Few women hold positions as directors, and those that do, are school directors. Not a single woman holds a senior post in the directorate, while out of five vice presidents at political parties all of them are men.

Many women are not active and do not raise their voice, an assembly member said. According to the assembly members, women are interested to participate but do not receive enough support from men. Further, according to them the lack of budget can also be one of the reasons why few women are involved. Therefore, all of their activities are undertaken on a voluntary basis.

A student who is a political party member said that the party does not do anything for them in terms of supporting their employment or allocating resources for students. Another student asked why women do not run as independent candidates. An assembly member responded that she would run as an independent candidate, but only after she had several meetings with women who would support her.

Among the conclusions were that girls and women should be given more opportunities to enter into politics and women who are already in politics should raise their voices. Further, there should be a budget line for women’s forums.

This project is funded by the KWN Kosovo Women’s Fund, financed by the European Union Office in Kosovo.

18.06.25

Workshop Held on Social Services, Rights, and Other Mechanisms

12.06.25

Activists Engage in President’s Global Forum on Women, Peace and Security

30.05.25

WCSOs Ask: What’s the Real Cost of Specialised Services for Gender-based Violence? 

30.05.25

Budget Red Lines: Community Session Calls for Action on Menstrual Poverty

30.05.25

The Institutional Crisis Continues to Contribute to Discrimination Against Women

29.05.25

Preventing and Protecting Blind Women and Girls in Kosovo from Violence

KWN successfully finalizes the “Hisja” series of shows

12.10.2016

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), in the framework of the project titled “Immovable property and gender equality”, supported by PPSE Swisscontact, and in cooperation with the Art and Community Center – ARTPOLIS, has successfully finalized the series of forum theatre shows titled “Hisja” (the share), with the last show in Peja.

The theatre show “Hisja” has been designed to be in the form of forum theatre and was performed over the course of two weeks for the Kosovo society at the main municipalities, namely in Prizren, Gjakova, Prishtina, Mitrovica, and Peja.

“Hisja” has shown the reality faced by Kosovar women and girls in the context of difficulties women have in realizing their property rights. Furthermore, the show aimed to raise awareness among the society about the rights that women should have regarding property issues.

The shows were usually opened by the director Zana Hoxha – Krasniqi and the play of actors Donikë Ahmeti, Ermal Sadiku and Kushtrim Qerimi, who through their roles transmitted the way judges behave during the proceedings for the registration and inheritance of the immovable property. They also reminded people of social dogmas and the discriminatory behavior of families towards the rights of their wife/daughter to inherit property. People showed their interest to hear about these issues, as a considerable number of citizens attended the show. Moreover, the discussions after the show focused on concrete cases, providing further details. In Mitrovica, a student of the Faculty of Law opposed the judge, calling him non-professional, and quoted the applicable structural laws on women’s right to property, such as the Law on Family, Law on Inheritance, Law on Gender Equality, and Law on Anti-Discrimination.

In Gjakova, a participant shared her own experience with the attendees saying: “I transferred my property to my brother; today I regret doing it. After my mother died, I still have not gone home, because my brother and his wife do not want me there”.

In Peja, a citizen declared: “I have three children, two sons and a daughter. I will divide my property in two parts; one part for my sons and the rest for my daughter”.

In the framework of the project “Immovable property and gender equality”, KWN aims at raise awareness of the importance that women should register their property as a sole owner, co-owner, or equal heir. In addition to this, this project offered financial and legal aid to women toward realizing this right.

Furthermore, besides the shows and legal and financial aid, this project foresees door-to-door meetings with families in all five municipalities of Kosovo, in order to raise the awareness of the society about the importance of realizing women’s property right. These meetings are organized by KWN activists in various cities of Kosovo.

My home, my right!

18.06.25