Kosovo Women's Network

Activists Seek to Inform Kosovo’s EU Accession Process from a Gender Perspective

31.01.2017

On 13 Dec. the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) in close collaboration with the Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality launched three papers that seek to inform Kosovo’s European Union (EU) Accession process from a gender perspective.

The first paper presented is entitled How Might EU Accession Impact Gender Equality in Kosovo? This working paper uses statistical analysis as well as draws from qualitative information available to examine how EU Accession has impacted gender equality in other countries. The authors sought to learn lessons for Kosovo based on the experiences of other countries, towards informing Kosovo’s EU Accession process from a gender perspective.

The second paper, Establishing the EU Gender Equality Index in Kosovo, examines which data Kosovo currently has available towards establishing the Gender Equality Index in Kosovo. Where data is lacking, KWN proposes cost-efficient solutions for institutionalizing the collection of data still needed. Establishing this Index can be very useful for policy-makers and activists alike, KWN argues, by providing a tool for monitoring progress over time. This can inform baseline data, indicators and targets, such as related to Kosovo’s forthcoming new Programme on Gender Equality, among other strategic documents.

The third paper, entitled What Do Women Want from the EU Accession Process in Kosovo? summarizes key issues that diverse women in civil society and politics in Kosovo have raised during consultations held throughout 2016. In the spirit of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the paper seeks to bring women’s voices into Kosovo’s EU Accession process. Where feasible, issues raised by women are linked directly to relevant EU directives, the new EU Gender Action Plan and Kosovo law.

Several key actors involved in Kosovo’s EU Accession process took part in the presentation of these papers and discussion, including: Anila Statovci, Deputy Minister from the Ministry of European Integration; Edi Gusia, Acting Chief Executive Officer from the Agency for Gender Equality in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo (AGE); Thomas Gnocchi, Head of the Political, Economic and European Integration Section at the EU Office in Kosovo; and Yllka Soba, Programme Officer from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, which supported KWN and the Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality in researching and writing these papers. Representatives of KWN and the Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality also took part, raising several issues in need of further discussion in future, follow-up meetings, planned to be held in 2017.

The Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality unites women and men in politics and civil society from 27 municipalities in advocating for gender equality at the local level. Lobby members come from different political parties, and are of diverse ages, ethnicities, abilities, religions and geographic locations.

The new EU Gender Action Plan for 2016-2020, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and Law No. 05/L -020 on Gender Equality in Kosovo all foresee the inclusion of a gender equality perspective in policy-making, including programming. Further, they underline the importance of decision-makers from the EU and within the state consulting with women during policy-making processes. This event sought to create a space for discussion among EU representatives, Government of Kosovo officials and women’s rights activists regarding women’s priorities for EU Accession and how gender equality can be further mainstreamed in this process.

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Press Release 21 Women’s Organizations Receive Grants Amounting to €64,400 from Kosovo Women’s Fund

31.12.2016

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Kosovo Women’s Fund Grants €63,974 to 17 Women-led Organizations

11.11.2016

On 10 Nov., the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) held a press conference to officially announce 17 recipients of 14 Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) grants, three of which are partnerships, totaling €63,974. Of them, the European Union (EU) Office in Kosovo has funded €47,069 and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) has financed €16,905. Their initiatives will contribute to implementing the KWN Strategy 2015-2018, created jointly by KWN members.

“KWN serves as a bridge, linking member organizations and donors,” KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova said. “Quite often English language skills, among other reasons, prevents these organizations from applying for grants to other donors. KWF offers organizations other opportunities.”

Rogova recalled the beginning of KWF in 2012, when it provided grants in the amount of €500, supported by Kvinna till Kvinna (KtK). Today, KWF funds partnership initiatives amounting up to €8,000. KWN achieved to expand KWF as a result of transparency, successful projects and hardworking KWN staff members, she said.

The representative of EU Office in Kosovo, Dario Di Benedetto stated that this fund is very important because it includes rural areas of Kosovo. The EU expects that through the implementation of their initiatives these organizations will improve the lives of women and girls, their children and the communities where they work. He emphasized that the EU now has a gender action plan, which requires all delegations to contribute to gender equality in the countries where they work.

“We are doing our part in Kosovo, with the help of KWN, by supporting women’s rights organizations in advocating for gender equality,” said Dario Di Benedetto. “We also work closely on gender issues with the Government of Kosovo in taking steps toward furthering gender equality in accordance with its Constitution and the Law on Gender Equality. More specifically, we want to achieve, with our partners, to involve more women in politics, at municipal and national levels. We realize this is still an issue, as highlighted by the recently published progress report. The EU also is working to ensure that the government provides protection for gender based violence,” he added.

The representative of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), Albulena Zaimi, said that they are privileged to work with KWN, and consider KWN a leading network towards promoting the implementation of the Law on Gender Equality in Kosovo. ADA is now implementing their strategy for 2013-2020, where one of the cross cutting themes is further gender equality.

“Since 2013, we have cooperated with KWN to support an increase in women’s participation in decision-making processes and to support the empowerment of women’s organizations,” she said. “We believe that this cooperation will continue in the future.”

During the press conference, grant recipients also spoke about the importance of KWF and the impact that it has on them. They emphasized the need to continue support of their initiatives through KWF.

“I am very happy for receiving support from KWF because 40 single women will benefit through this project,” said Veprore Shehu, Executive Director of Medica Kosova, a KWN member organization.

After the conference, KWN held an orientation session related to the implementation of organizations’ initiatives and later signed contracts with the following grant recipients:

Advocacy Grants for a Single Organization

· Action for Mothers and Children with the initiative: “Expanding Advocacy Curriculum Information Center for Information on Women’s Health and Training Center Staff” (€3,995, supported by the EU)

· Psychotherapists in Action with the initiative: “Empowering women victims of sexual violence and torture during the conflict in Kosovo in the region of Gjilan” (€3,595, supported by the EU)

· Kosovar Gender Studies Center (KGSC) with the initiative: “Gender Equality in EU Accession” (€3,000, supported by ADA)

· Institute Alpha with the initiative: “Protecting human rights of women prisoners in Kosovo through their socialization” (€3,985, supported by the EU)

· NORMA Lawyers Association with the initiative: “Empowering women by increasing institutional transparency” (€3,995, supported by the EU)

· NGO Bliri with the initiative: “Become a part and help in prevention of diseases” (€2,990, supported by ADA)

· NGO Rona with the initiative: “Advocacy to empower women farmers in villages of Malisheva” (€3,972, supported by the EU)

· Women’s Initiative Association with the initiative: “Time for a new political spirit” (€3,995, supported by the EU)

· Handikos Mitrovica with the initiative: “Empowering women with disabilities by raising awareness about their property rights” (€3,946, supported by the EU)

· Association of Women Farmers “Krusha e Vogel” with the initiative: “Advancing the position of women and girls in rural areas” (€3,000, supported by ADA)

· NGO Foleja with the initiative: “Increasing health education, family planning and reproductive health” (€3,675, supported by the EU)

Networking for Change Grants

· Medica Kosova & Cradle of Smile with the initiative: “Supporting access of war-affected single mothers to agricultural subsidy programs” (€7,915, supported by ADA)

· Center for Protection and Rehabilitation of Women and Children Liria & Legjendja with the initiative: “Increase Women’s position in peace-making processes and gender budgeting” (€7,927, supported by the EU)

· Artpolis & the Centre for Promotion of Women’s Rights with the initiative: “Promotion of the rights to sexual and reproductive health through art education and youth engagement” (€7,983, supported by the EU)

KWN’s Kosovo Women’s Fund offers small grants for women’s organizations that lack of other funding opportunities and that want to work for women’s rights, especially groups working in rural areas andor with marginalized persons. Since 2012, KWF has supported 83 organizations, totaling 355,996€. It has had more than 9,138 beneficiaries, and contributed to at least 13 policy changes towards improving the lives of women and girls in Kosovo. In 2016, the Kosovo Women’s Fund is receiving support from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the European Union Office in Kosovo.

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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

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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