Kosovo Women's Network

Government Extended the Administrative Instruction on the Joint Registration of Property

03.05.2017

Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) is in the final phase of implementing the project "My House, My Right" with the support of PPSE Swiss Contact, which has started since May 2016.

The percentage of registration and inheritance of property by women still remains low, limiting its access to financial resources and depriving women’s economic empowerment which creates the common good for the whole family.

The main reason of this project was to increase the number of women who realize their property right, both in personal and joint property, that would affect well-being of women, children’s and families as a whole. Until now KWN has assisted over 130 cases of property registration.

The Administrative Instruction issued by the Agency for Gender Equality (AGE) in cooperation with the Kosovo Cadastral Agency enables all citizens to register the property in joint ownership without administrative fees. KWN in cooperation with its member organizations and AGE have advocated to relevante institutions for amending the Administrative Instruction that extends the Administrative Instruction period from one year to two. Fortunately, during the Government meeting that was held on 6 April, this amendment was approved.

Property right is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, also in force laws such as: Property Law, Inheritance Law, Family Law, Law on Gender Equality and the Anti-Discrimination Law.

In order to use the extension of this Administrative Instruction, KWN encourages women and men to initiate the procedures to register their property on behalf of both spouses without an administrative fee. All you have to do is to contact the Municipal Cadastral Office where you live or if you need help you can write at register@gmail.com.

It is for free!

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ADA Trains its Project and Programmes Representatives on Gender

03.05.2017

On Apr. 25th, Austrian Development Agency (ADA) organized a training on gender for around 20 representatives of projects and programmes it supports, including Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) representative.
The need for the training aroused based on the fact that ADA seeks to “ensure the equal participation of women and men and girls and boys in all projects and programmes, altering discriminatory societal and social norms and practices: Women and men shall have equal access to education and resources, such as land, income and capital”. Gender mainstreaming as a whole plays a very important role in ADA projects and programmes.
At the same time, the training is in line with the adoption of the European Council Conclusions on the EU Plan of Action for Gender Equality (2016-2020). The plan aims to promote gender equality, which is mandatory for international cooperation in the European Union (EU): They apply to the EU member states, the EU Directorates-General for International Cooperation and Development and for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, the Humanitarian Aid Office of the European Community and the European External Action Service.
The agenda of the training included information on main gender concepts; ADA Gender Quality Assurance and Minimum Requirements; Gender Continuum; a summary of Kosovo’s legal framework on Gender Equality; sector specific requirements of EU Plan of Action for Gender Equality (2016-2020); as well as group work on Monitoring & Evaluation framework of ongoing ADA projects. Participants assessed the training as a very good and needed one, since it informs their day-to-day work.
“We already report on indicators related to gender, but now we have a clearer idea of different gender concepts, as well as we know better the route of our reporting to reaching EU reports,” said one of the participants.
Having on mind that the international cooperation makes a valuable contribution to ending gender discrimination and enforcing the rights of women and girls, the training sets a good example to other member states of the EU on gender mainstreaming, and reporting on gender indicators.

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Medica Kosova empowers women for municipal subsidies in agriculture

03.05.2017

On April 25, in Gjakova, Medica Kosova organized a closing roundtable of the project "Supporting Single Mothers Affected by War to Approach Municipal Agricultural Subvention". This project was supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), while it was implemented by Medica Kosova in partnership with single mothers organization "Djepi i Buzëqeshjes".

The project aim was to provide women access to subvention through trainings on the analysis of the grants program and the procedures and application criteria. It also aimed to support the realization of their property rights as well as women’s access to information through the official site and social networks of the Municipal Assembly in Gjakova. In this project, 40 women has benefited from four villages of the Municipality of Gjakova. Meanwhile, around 24 women beneficiaries of this project have been prepared to apply for moto cultivators and seedlings for nuts and hazelnuts during the next call for subvention.

The Mayor, Ms. Mimoza Kusari-Lila and Mr. Bekim Ermeni, Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, informed the participants about the subvention program with a special emphasis for war-affected women in Gjakova municipality and the possibility of receiving micro-business grants.

"As a Mayor, my responsibilities from the beging have been to reduce inequalities in society, to offer equal opportunities but also to show that there is a need to pay special attention to and be sensitive towards issues related to women in need of economic empowerment", said Mrs. Kusari – Lila, in the presence of representatives of the Office for Gender Equality, the Office of Communities, representatives of civil society and women beneficiaries.

Although the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development based on the subvention calendar has put out only two calls during the implementation phase of this project. A single mother has bennefitted from this and is now the proud owner of a 2.5 acres greenhouse. She has achieved this by herself through the provided support by this project which included technical support.

Medica Kosova believes that the results of this project will have a long-lasting positive impact on the welfare of these women. They are committed to continue with providing concrete support to these women in accessing municipal grants and subventions for the purpose of personal and professional development of war-affected women farmers.

Further, Medica Kosova and the beneficiaries of this project highly appreciated the Mayor of Gjakova Municipality and the Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development that have integrated a criterion of priority for women farmers on the basis of same quality of the required documentation for subvention. They also expressed gratitude to the Kosovo Women’s Fund and Austrian Development Agency for the possibility of implementing this important initiative for women who bear the responsibility of the welfare of their families.

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Taking Women’s Rights to Brussels

03.05.2017

“Aah, you are the ones that provide comments in (EU IPA) Action Documents”, noted Julia Mueller-Hellmann, Policy Officer Judiciary and Fundamental Rights Kosovo at Directorate – General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations within the EU when meeting Iliriana Banjska from KWN.

In the spirit of United National Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, the European Union (EU) has made its commitment to promoting and supporting women’s active and meaningful participation in all peace processes as well as their representation in formal and informal decision-making in post-conflict countries. This includes the countries in the Western-Balkans that are currently in the so called pre-accession phase.
This week, Kvinna till Kvinna foundation organized its yearly advocacy visit trip to Brussels with representatives from Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo. Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) was represented by Iliriana Banjska who during this week met up with Members of the European Parliament, high representatives of the European External Action Service, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Peace Laison Office and Gender Focal Points.
Issues that were raised during the meetings were the current trends of “high” political issues drawing attention away from other pressing social and economic issues affecting people’s everyday lives, including related to gender equality such as gender based violence, women’s unemployment and the lack of women’s inclusion in political processes. But also the lack of gender analysis in important documents such as Country Progress Reports and the EU’s financial instruments for the Western Balkans.
As advocacy initiatives have it, the meetings had their up and downs. The EU is a large institution which employ also people that are not open to gender issues and women’s rights. On the other side, officials that work on Kosovo, recognized the important work KWN has been doing in evidence based gender mainstreaming within the framework of EU accession. All in all, important steps have been taken into establishing important relations with officials which in the future might become allies in integrating women’s voices in the process towards Kosovo becoming an EU member state.

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KWN Research, Advocacy Informs Strategy against Domestic Violence

21.04.2017

On 19 April 2017, the Government of Kosovo launched the National Strategy of the Republic of Kosovo on Protection from Domestic Violence and Action Plan 2016-2020. The Strategy draws heavily upon data and recommendations made by the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN). More than 70% of the recommendations that KWN made in its most recent report No More Excuses: An Analysis of Attitudes, Incidence and Institutional Responses to Domestic Violence in Kosovo (2015) were incorporated in the National Strategy, which also directly cites KWN on 13 separate occasions.
     Initiated by the National Coordinator against Domestic Violence, then Deputy Minister of Justice Lirak Çelaj, the process of drafting the new National Strategy began in November 2015. The process was very participatory, engaging diverse institutions, civil society organizations and other actors. KWN was an active member of the working group, preparing and putting forth specific evidence-based recommendations for the National Strategy, based on its 2015 research.
     Indeed, during the official launching of the new National Strategy, Chief Executive Officer of the Agency for Gender Equality Edi Gusia observed that “the partnership between the government and civil society organizations has led to an improved strategy”. Moving forward, she emphasized the need for its implementation at both national and municipal levels.
     Minister of Justice Dhurata Hoxha similarly urged cooperation among different ministries and agencies in implementing the Strategy effectively. She said that she herself has “given special priority to combating this negative phenomenon”.
     The Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States to the Republic of Kosovo, Colleen Hyland; the new National Coordinator against Domestic Violence Mr. Munir Basha; and UN Women Head of Office Flora Macula also spoke at the launching event. Several officials from relevant institutions participated, among other stakeholders.
     The political commitments made in relation to this National Strategy could not have come at a more opportune time, as media recently have suggested potential injustices within the justice system and covered several cases of domestic violence. Growing demand exists among several citizens for improved prevention of domestic violence, protection for victims and justice for perpetrators.
     A Kosovo-wide household survey conducted as part of KWN’s aforementioned research found that 62% of Kosovars (68% of women and 56% of men) have experienced some form of domestic violence in their lifetimes. Twice as many women (41%) as men (20%) reported suffering domestic violence in 2014. Although the situation has improved compared to 2008, KWN still found several shortcomings in the performance of institutions legally responsible for supporting persons who have suffered domestic violence. Rehabilitation and reintegration programs remain severely under-funded and insufficient. The new Strategy sets out several steps that should be taken towards addressing some of these issues.
     This is the second time that KWN’s research has been used to inform improvements to the legal framework and mechanisms related to addressing domestic violence. KWN’s 2008 research Security Begins at Home examined the legal framework, awareness about domestic violence and relevant institutions’ performance; it informed the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence and the first Kosovo Program and Action Plan against Domestic Violence 2011-2014. The prior research was carried out for the Agency for Gender Equality with support from the United Nations Development Programme.
     Since 2014, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) has provided crucial long-term support to KWN, which has enabled KWN’s research, ongoing advocacy initiatives and awareness-raising efforts towards addressing domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence in Kosovo. ADA’s trust and partnership has enabled KWN to react to unforeseen issues that arise and to take a continuous, holistic approach to addressing gender-based violence in Kosovo.

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Association of Women Farmers “Krusha e Vogel” economically empowers girls in rural areas

07.04.2017

     After analysing the situation of unemployment of youth and women in rural areas, the Association of Women Farmers (AWF) “Krusha e Vogel”, supported by Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) and financed by Austrian Development Agency (ADA), undertook the initiative “Advancing women and girls in rural areas”. Together with project beneficiaries, the staff of AWF “Krusha e Vogel” organized meetings with local level institutions representatives in Prizren, in order to get informed on different possibilities and programmes on employment and vocational training, subventions, etc.
     On Mar. 1, AWF “Krusha e Vogel” organized the closing activity after the training on milk processing, respectively the preparation of cheese as a final product. This product is planned to be sold to restaurants, as well as in different houses of the village.
     “Most of the projects aiming the economic empowerment were focused on men, flaunting women, especially girls” said Florentina Avdyli, one of the participants, adding that this is the first activity she attended since she finished university. “The unemployment in our areas is quite high, despite the fact that most of the girls have finished university, they cannot find a job.”
     The greatest achievement of the project is the economic empowerment of 4 youngsters through their employment in the milk collection centre. Also, four women and men have applied for grants at the Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development. The project resulted on training the participants on how to find different ways towards their economic empowerment through different activities and opportunities with which they have been presented during the implementation of the project in the Vocational Training Centre, Employment Bureau, through the application for grants and subventions, etc.

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Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality discusses the advocacy strategy for 2017

07.04.2017

     On 4 March 2017, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) in cooperation with women from Mitrovica, also host of this event, organized the meeting of Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality (KLGE). The topic of this meeting was “The advocacy strategy for 2017”. This meeting gathered 69 women and girls, including gender equality officers, municipal assembly members and representatives of KWN’s member organizations from different municipalities around Kosovo and KWN’s staff members.
     Vetone Veliu and Ajnishahe Haziri, members of KLGE in the Municipality of Mitrovica in their opening speeches thanked the Lobby for the opportunity they got to be the hosts, as well as thanking people present for their participation. Among other, they presented the advocacy activities in the Municipality of Mitrovica, emphasizing the good cooperation among Women’s Association in Mitrovica, the Office for Gender Equality and the women municipal assembly members.
     This group, among a lot of the advocacy activities and initiatives that they have realized, as achievements they listed: the advocacy for removing taxes for women in business; the neighborly communication on building peace in North Mitrovica; advocacy activities regarding local elections on November; collecting financial contributions in order to buy the mammography machine; the successful advocacy for three girls from Rashan village to continue education free of charge; advocacy and trainings with women where two of them got grants; and a lot of other successful activities.
     After this presentation, Mrs. Remzije Nimani, the first member of the parliament from Mitrovica at the Republic of Kosovo, greeted participants, appreciating their hard work on improving the position of women, especially on the decision making and peacemaking processes. Meanwhile, Safete Rogova, actress and women’s rights activist, greeted women and girls, reciting a poetry dedicated to women.
     In the afternoon, Igballe Rogova, Executive Director of KWN, moderated the second part of the meeting, where it was discussed for the activities undertaken in different municipalities regarding the Lobby’s advocacy strategy for 2017.
     Emphasizing the power that KLGE has on achieving results on advocating for positive changes, the municipalities of Peja, Dragash, Ferizaj, Prishtina, Istog, shared information for different initiatives for which they advocated in the last months.
     The next KLGE meeting will most probably be organized in the Municipality of Dragash.
     This meeting was organized with financial support by the European Union Office in Kosovo and Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

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Rogova spoke on “NATO talk” in Brussels

07.04.2017

     On 8 March, NATO Headquarters in Brussels marked International Women’s Day, where Igballe Rugova spoke as Civil Society activists, and as a member of the NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security.
     "We, women peace rights’ activists, believe that there can not be peace and security without justice" Rogova said when talking about the situation of women affected during the war in Kosovo.
     During her story for boldness and change, Rogova stated the importance that representatives of the NATO delegations should consult women, not only with politicians, because according to her, women can identify different needs and priorities.
     The program opened by launching registration for "She Runs, He Runs, We Run", an initiative that took place last year at NATO HQ. This 13:25 km solidarity marathon to be held on May 13, aims to highlight the role of sport in promoting gender equality and solidarity through awareness raising on United Nation Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
     First session consisted opening remarks and welcoming speeches by Ambassador Marriët Schuurman, the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security; Lt Col Magdalena Dvorakova, Head of the International Military Staff Office of the Gender Advisor; Tara Nordick, Human Resource Policy and Diversity Officer, Executive Management; and Anne Rosner, Conference Interpreter at NATO HQ and the marathon runner.
     Ambassador Marriët Schuurman, the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security invited Igballe Rogova to serve on the newly – established NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security. The Panel seeks to engage in more systematic and regular dialogue with civil society in the area of Women, Peace and Security, so that NATO may draw upon the valuable expertise and insights many civil society organisations and individual experts have developed in this area. Through the feedback and recommendations from civil society, NATO hopes to enhance the implementation of the Policy on Women Peace and Security NATO’s 28 Allies and 27 Partners have adopted in 2014. The establishment of this Panel also was foreseen in NATO Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.
     Rogova’s selection was based on recommendations received from nations and international organisations. 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. Rogova is a member of the Core Group. First annual meeting of the Panel was held on 17 – 18 October 2016 Brussels, while the following meeting will take place in May.

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MARCHing, not celebrating – again this year women and men marched for human rights

07.04.2017

     This year, again, in Kosovo, the 8th of March – women’s international day, was marked with several activities, organized by the civil society, activists, unionists, academia and students. Gathered under the umbrella “The Collective” (Kolektivi) they joined on “MARCHing, not celebrating”, a name that is now being used for the second time for events organized for the women’s day.
     This year, in Prishtina, it was marched for economic and social rights, as a pre-condition for a decent society, to demand employment without exploitation, equality, freedom and social justice, employment with payment that offers us a life with dignity, as well as against sexism, homophobia, transphobia and racism. Also, there was a demand for health insurance, safety at work, and non-discriminative work for all, regardless of ethnicity, age, education, sexual orientation.
     In Prishtina, the activities for marking this day started early in the morning, where organizers went on city streets to mobilize citizens on supporting the march, as well as to let them now for the importance of the day. Later, starting at 10:00 at the National Library, the Manual on Policies Addressing Sexual Harassment at Public Universities was launched, a manual compiled by the NGO Artpolis.
     At 12:00, the protesting march “MARCHing, not celebrating” started, where more than 500 people marched from “Zahir Pajaziti” square, passing by the Central Bank of Kosovo, the Municipality of Prishtina, the Basic Court, and by the Parliament/Government of Kosovo. Holding banners, all were acclaiming slogans from the Manifesto prepared by the Collective, such as “We want jobs, not harassment!”, “We want children labour to stop!”
     Activities continued with the workshop organized by NGO PEN at 14:30, on integrating gender perspective on organizations and programmes level. Activities were closed with the theatre play “Bits and Pieces” (Copë Copë) produced by Artpolis, displayed at Oda Theatre.

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Ministry of Diaspora takes first steps toward GRB

07.04.2017

     Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) held the workshop on institutionalizing Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in the Ministry of Diaspora (MoD), on 14th of March. Directors and officials of the Ministry, who participated in the workshop, were introduced to the basic concepts of GRB, examples of how to implement GRB and ways to mainstream a gender perspective in the phases of planning, executing, monitoring and evaluating the budget. MoD is the second ministry with which KWN is collaborating to further the institutionalization of GRB in Kosovo this year.
     Osman Shahini, General Secretary of MoD, in his opening remarks, stated: “Gender equality is a family and institutional challenge. Gender Equality is an everyday struggle. When it comes to the statistics, there is no 50/50 representation, even though it should be like this. I think that we should do something in this direction. I thank you for your availability and we are at your disposal for meetings to further discuss this topic. Everything is in our hands to make things right.”
     One of the discussions that developed during this workshop was the underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions, and ways to tackle this. Behar Isma, Acting Director of Legal Department, stated: “In the €600+ level of wages, women are underrepresented, whereas in the other lower level of wages there is a much more equal representation of women. There are different factors that cause this but also, there are different ways to change and increase the percentage of officials in decision making positions that are women.”
     High interactivity between directors and officials of this Ministry was shown during the discussion in the second part of the workshop. They expressed their willingness to further gender equality within their Ministry and throughput the diaspora by the way of already thinking about various ways to integrate GRB in their daily work.
     The support that KWN offers to MoD is financed by Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

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