Kosovo Women's Network

KWN presented the new mechanism to integrate gender perspective on Kosovo’s Legislation

04.03.2016

On March 2, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) held a workshop on Rights-Based Advocacy. This workshop aimed to inform participants of their potential to advocate for adequate gender legislation, in addition to offering them the opportunity to learn more about human and women rights, legal frameworks, and legal services for the promotion and protection of these rights.
    The workshop was leaded by Ariana Qosaj, Mustafa, Program Director and Senior Researcher, and Nicole Farnsworth, Program Manager and Lead Research at KWN. Representatives from KWN member organizations and members of Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality participated in the workshop.
     During the workshop, attendees learned about the new mechanism that KWN has started to use to review draft laws and other documents sent from various government organizations, some of which include the ministries and the Legal Office of Prime Minister. Such drafts are sent to ligji@womensnetwork.org, and then KWN and Lobby members use track changes to edit and revise official documents to make sure that they adequately deal with the issues at hand.After KWN and Lobby members review documents, they undergo additionally review by KWN staff, and are then sent for a final review by legal assistants of KWN. After the full review process is finished, documents are returned to their perspective sender with the changes and recommendations, as well as a full list of individuals who participated in the editing process.
    After the information was presented about the new review process, a debrief of the National Programme for Implementation of the Stabilization Association Agreement (NPISAA), occurred that attempted to explain how it has been used to integrate gender perspectives in laws and documents based on Law on Gender Equality. The overarching goal of the NPISAA is to promote and enforce gender equality in legislation.
This workshop was supported by European Union Office in Kosovo.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

Feminist Conversations: History, Memory and Difference

01.03.2016

What happens when you put the greatest feminist thinkers and activists from the late 80ies and 90ies from the Balkans together in one room? You get inspired, touched and amazed. On the 27 Feb., ForumZFD, Alter Habitus – Institute for Studies in Society and Culture and University Program for Gender Studies and Research organized the 5th Atelier within the framework of the Memory Mapping Kosova project that explores official but contested memory sites and past events titled “Feminist Conversations: History, Memory and Difference”. Panelists included: Igo Rogova, Sevdije Ahmeti, Lepa MladjenoviÄ‡, Shukrije Gashi, Staša ZajoviÄ‡, Nazlije Bala, Nela PamukoviÄ‡, Daša Duhacek, Aferdita Kelmendi it was moderated by Linda Gusia, Nita Luci and Vjollca Krasniqi.

Even though the organizers set out some questions around which the debate and talks could develop, it was Sevdije Ahmeti who proposed that the women would tell the stories of how they met. Unexpectedly, this resulted in the crowed not only being moved emotionally but it also provided a lot of historical information about the feminist movement in this region.

For, historically, women’s activism, everyday life experiences, mobilization and networking are in most part excluded from formal political space, commemoration and dominant meta-narratives. On the hegemonic national narratives, and history, women have predominantly been represented as grieving mothers and/or victims of war. Women’s experiences of struggle and resistance, peace building efforts and the ways in which their mobilization affected the transformation of society have altogether been secluded from history and remembrance practices.

Following the violent break-up of Socialist Yugoslavia and the wars of the 1990s women were not mere spectators and victims.

They mobilized in resistance to war and violent nationalist politics. This action entailed cooperation across ethnic divides and borders.

Thus women’s activism has constituted women as agents of change and politics, and power.

A day-long panel discussion with women activists from Kosovo and the region resulted in the narration of and accounts on histories and the memory of women’s activism as remembered and interpreted by women activists themselves.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

Norma Lawyers Association and Center for Women’s Empowerment demand the Implementation of the right for financial support

01.03.2016

On the 24 Feb., Lawyers Association Norma in cooperation with Center for Women’s Empowerment, within the framework of their joint initiative "The realization of the right to financial maintenance and food (Alimony), organized a roundtable in which representatives of NGOs as well as judges from courts in Kosovo and a representative of Kosovo Women’s Network took part.

The main aim of this project is improving the position of children and single mothers by the way of realizing the right to alimony as well as improving the functionality and efficiency of public institutions in the area of enforcement of judicial decisions.

Association Norma together with Center for Women’s Empowerment have conducted research on how the right to alimony and food is being enforced. This research has been carried out in several municipalities in Kosovo and the report will be published soon. They also stressed that as part of the research they distributed questionnaires among businesses owners and that a majority of them did not even know what alimony entails.

One of the women present at this meeting shared her case in which she went to court to file for alimony and the judge was very unprofessional by making statements such as "The case will be solved in my style" whereas the Law on the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo does not allow an issue to be solved by any style or desire, but by applying the legal provisions.

Participants stated that there are different factors that indicated low number of cases to seek alimony including: many women aren’t informed that they have the right to alimony, some of them are scared to ask for it, the time it takes for these cases to be handled by judges and the economic situation that Kosovo is in right now.

At the end of the meeting participants gave their recommendations. According to them, it is important to increasing the number of judges, trainings for judges on this matter and dealing with these kinds of cases that are urgent faster, not in two years as it happens very often because this affects the children’s living conditions, food intake and education.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

“EcShlirë” towards safer streets in Kosovo

26.02.2016

How freely can we walk? As of today, citizens in Kosovo will be guided by a mobile app that will enable them to walk as freely as they like to. A collaboration between Girls Coding Kosova, Open Data Kosovo and Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) brought about this innovative piece of technology with which every smartphone user can report in variations of detail cases of sexual harassment.
    To introduce this app to the public, on the 25 Feb. 2016, a launching was held at Sirius Hotel. Executive Director, Ms. Igablle Rogova welcomed everybody and noted that from the latest report that KWN published on Sexual Harassment (link here), it has become apparent that sexual harassment and the lack of reporting it is an important issue that needs to be addressed.
Also present where Canada’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Mr. Daniel Maksymiuk and Mr. Brian Fahey from the USAID Economic Growth Office who contributed to this project financially. Ambassador Maksymiuk told the gathered crowd that when he got the proposals sent to Canada’s Local Initiative Fund, this one stood out the most because it combines tackling social issues, building stronger relation with authorities and supporting young women in becoming active players in the economic sphere by developing new skills. Mr. Fahey congratulated the executors of this app and noted that this will help towards increasing the ability to hold people accountable. Not only the perpetrators of acts of sexual violence but also law enforcement authorities.
    From Open Data Kosovo, Executive DirectorGeorges Labrèche spoke about why they felt that this app was needed in Kosovo. According to him, with a 75% internet penetration rate, a very young population and high unemployment rate, Kosovo has a fertile ground for taking digital knowledge and opportunity to create day to day good governance. On working together with Girls Coding Kosova, he recalled thinking “you have skills that shouldn’t be kept to yourself, you just need exposure to show that you can be part of problem solving or solution driven processes.”
     By the end it was time for Blerta Thaçi from Girls Coding Kosova to demonstrate how the app works, how user friendly it is and how it will help its users in practice. “In those cases in which you walked down the street and you felt helpless, now you have your phone.”
As this app is for the moment only available for Android devices, during the Q&A a spontaneous offer of funds was made to create the same app for iOS driven smartphones. Mr. Vllaznim Xhiha from the local foundation “Unë e Du Kosovën” himself an iOS user, expressed that he believes in the necessity of this app and therefor will lobby for funds to develop it further.
Also after the launching the 30 young women who developed the app with support of ODK and GCK received certificates.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

KWN Launched its Newest Report: Sexual Harassment in Kosovo

23.02.2016

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) today launched its latest report, Sexual Harassment in Kosovo.
     The opening remarks were given by Igballe Rogova, Executive Director of KWN; Edona Hajrullahu, Chief Executive Officer of the Agency for Gender Equality (AGE); and Christian Geosits, Head of Office of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
     This landmark report analyses the legal framework related to sexual harassment in Kosovo; perceptions of and attitudes towards sexual harassment; its prevalence; and institutional response.
     The research involved a review of the legal framework, a survey of 1,315 Kosovo citizens in 2015 and more than 200 interviews with representatives of public institutions, civil society, and other key actors. The report concludes with recommendations for amending the legal framework and improving institutional response to sexual harassment.
     “If our generation does not address these issues, then they will just be passed to the coming generations and get worse and deeper,” said Edona Hajrullahu. “Therefore I am glad this report was published and on behalf of AGE, I would like to emphasize how good we feel for the good cooperation that we have with KWN and how much we value their engagement in different fields dealing with the empowerment of women.”
This research was funded by ADA and carried out in close cooperation with AGE, and our Advisory Group.
     “I have to say that I was astonished with both KWN reports published lately: No more excuses and Sexual Harassment in Kosovo, and I am very happy that ADA is on the position to help people who know what they’re doing,” said Christian Geosits. “Kosovo has so many laws, we don’t need more, and all we need is their proper harmonization and implementation. Therefore, ADA is very proud to have supported the first comprehensive report on sexual harassment.”
     Afterwards, two of the four co-authors of the report, Ariana Qosaj – Mustafa, Legal Expert and KWN’s Chair of Board; and Adelina Berisha, Advocacy Coordinator at KWN, presented the key findings of the research:

Citizens’ Awareness and Attitudes

31.5% of Kosovars believe that referring to persons with words like “honey,” “sweetheart,” “love, or “baby” constitutes sexual harassment.
43.8% of Kosovars say that whistling at someone in the street is sexual harassment.
49.0% of Kosovars consider touching, pinching, or pushing forms of sexual harassment.
A higher percentage of men than women, tend to identify most forms of sexual harassment as such
Older people tend to be more likely than younger people to identify several forms of harassment as such.

Extent of Sexual Harassment Reported by Respondents

48.5% of Kosovars have experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lifetimes.
64.1% of women report having experienced sexual harassment, 32.5% of men state that they have.
The most common form of sexual harassment reported by respondents is having someone make unwelcome sexual comments, jokes, or gestures to or about them, including while walking down the street.

Type of sexual harassment:

One in three women (34.2%) compared to only 1.6% of men had someone honk a vehicle horn at them while walking down the street.
46.4% of women and only 3.9% of men had someone whistle at them
26.4% of women and 3.3% of men had someone follow them

By whom:

Of the 561 persons who reported being sexually harassed in 2014, they were primarily harassed by unknown persons in the street (421 respondents).
Respondents also reported being harassed by acquaintances (77 respondents), friends (51), co-workers (20), teachers (12), bosses at work (seven), and respondents’ partners (two).
Women tend to be harassed more by unknown people in the street and friends than do men. Men are more likely to be harassed by friends than women.

Institutional Response to Domestic Violence

Some representatives of institutions still lack knowledge about sexual harassment, its definition, and the relevant legal framework. This hampers their ability to effectively respond to sexual harassment cases. Sexual harassment tends to be misunderstood as rape or sexual assault, while “less physical” or “severe” forms of sexual harassment are either unknown or considered insufficiently important. Additionally, some representatives of institutions like their fellow citizens, tend to blame victims for sexual harassment. This coupled with the broader aforementioned power relations between the abuser and abused contribute to a fear among victims in reporting sexual harassment. If cases are not reported to institutions, institutions cannot deal with them effectively. The fact that so few cases are reported, coupled with the absence of an explicit definition of sexual harassment in the criminal code, makes it difficult to track and evaluate trends in institutional response.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

One Billion Rise to End Violence against Women

14.02.2016

Within the scope of the One Billion Rising campaign, citizens in Kosovo have protested against violence towards women for the fourth consecutive year.
    According to official statistics, worldwide one in three women is raped or experiences violence in the family in her lifetime. That adds up to one billion women. KWN Research reports show that in Kosovo 48.5% of citizens have been subjected to some forms of sexual harassment from them 64.1% are women and girls and 35.4% men and boys.
   On the other side 62% of Kosovars have suffered domestic violence during their life including 68% women and girls and 56% men and boys. In 2013, one billion women and men shook the earth through dance to end violence against women and girls in an event called One Billion Rising. The OBR campaign culminated in the biggest mass global action to end violence against women ever with tens of thousands of events held in more than 190 countries including Kosovo that joined for its beginning.
    Therefore today on 14 Feb. the march started at 12:00 in front of National Theatre to Zahir Pajaziti Square where after the march was given also the performance “Most Hesht” written by Dardana Mehmeti, that aimed to raise awareness among citizens to report sexual harassment, and as always this campaign ended with its traditional dancing that was prepared by Artpolis, where except the young women and men danced also dozens of citizens to danced and said no to violence.
This campaign was organized from: Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Artpolis and Girls Coding Kosova.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

Kosovo Women’s Network and EULEX Discuss Gender-based Violence

03.02.2016

On 3 Feb, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) hosted a delegation of gender advisors and gender focal points working with Kosovo police from the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).

KWN briefed the delegation regarding its past and present work, focusing particularly on gender-based violence. KWN and EULEX discussed opportunities for collaboration and cooperation in the future, in particular related to strengthen Kosovo institutions in addressing domestic violence and sexual harassment. The specific challenges in addressing domestic violence in northern Kosovo also were discussed.

KWN and EULEX agreed on common goals and potential steps forward for their future cooperation and coordination to address the issues of domestic violence and sexual harassment.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

KWN Participates in “Making Markets Work for Women” Training

02.02.2016

On Jan. 14-15, USAID EMPOWER Private Sector and Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) project in Kosovo held a Making Markets Work for Women (Gender in Value Chain Analysis) training, in which approximately 20 representatives participated. Among them, were representatives from the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and other agencies. Vjosa Mullatahiri and Artan Xërxa facilitated the training.      The training was tailored for participants of the first training “Gender in Value Chain Development Course” held from Oct. 5-9, supported by the PPSE project, so that they could transfer further knowledge to their members, staff and beneficiaries. The training provided tools for the inclusion of gender aspects in the analysis of value chains and sought to devise gender strategies that enhance empowerment and incomes for all stakeholders.
    A value chain is the full set of different activities that a business goes through in order to bring a product or service to their customer. A value chain also refers to the model of how a business receives the raw material as an input, it adds value to the raw material by going through different processes and then sells the finished product to its customers.
    By offering different materials and group work for participants, the training aimed to:clarify gender goals and objectives for value chain development; distinguish between “do no harm”, gender inclusion, women’s empowerment and gender transformation; as well as to equip participants with tools and knowledge to develop sustainable gender strategies comprised of gender change solutions capable of market uptake and time bound gender interventions.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

Law Students Learn about Domestic Violence

02.02.2016

On 29 Jan., the Centre for Legal Aid and Regional Development (CLARD), organized a workshop entitled “Addressing Domestic Violence”. Participants were students from the University of Prishtina Faculty of Law, including a KWN staff member.
The training aimed to inform students regarding domestic violence, types of domestic violence, defence mechanisms, consequences of violating protective orders and statistics regarding domestic violence cases.
Participants were interested to learn more about the cases that CLARD has assisted with legal aid. The lecturer from CLARD provided an example from the last case they treated, in which a man who had hit his spouse said, “I didn’t do anything to her. I only slapped here twice. Nothing more.”
Another issue discussed during the workshop was the imposition of protective measures made by the court. Participants had the opportunity to learn more about specific protective measure. Some participants felt that certain measures would not prevent violence. For example, they discussed a specific case in which the court ordered as a protective measure against the perpetrator that he should stay a distance of 10 meters away from his wife. However, they continued to live in the same house, share the same kitchen, and use the same bathroom.
“This measure doesn’t stop the perpetrator, or make the victim feel secure,” said one of the participants. “Instead she might feel even more endangered.”
According to police statistics and KWN’s research report No More Excuses, domestic violence remains widespread. According to the Kosovo’s Police, the number of domestic violence cases reported in 2014 was 1,046 and it was 1,021 in 2015.
Despite the progress made in addressing domestic violence, this issue requires further attention.

19.03.26

Applying a Gender Lens: Erkenda Begins Her Internship at KWN

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

The Redrafting of the Curriculum on Gender Equality Continues

02.02.2016

A meeting was held on 26 Jan. in Prishtina as part of the continuing discussions with municipal officials on re-drafting the new curriculum on gender equality for the Kosovar Institue of Public Administartion (KIPA).
    Officials from the Municipality of Prishtina participated, including: the Municipal Directorate of Geodesy, Infrastructure, Office of Communities and Returns, Inspectorate, representatives from KIPA, and theAgency for Gender Equality (AGE).
    Officials expressed their desire that the new curriculum include additional training on gender responsive budgeting, practical examples of the integration of a gender perspective in procurement, tendering and infrastructure.
       Meetings already have been held with municipal officials from Gjakova, Drenas, Skenderaj, Decan, Peja, Mamusha and Rahovec. Another meeting is planned with municipalities in the north, as well as with central level institutions, respectively. The information gathered during meetings, including the priorities of civil servants, will be considered in developing the new curricula on gender equality.
The meetings are being organized through a collaborative effort involving AGE, KIPA, KWN and Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with funding by GIZ.

19.03.26