On 19 Feb. KWN organized a training on Effective Advocacy.

KWN Members Draft Strategies for Effective Advocacy

26.02.2015

Within the scope of the “Empowering Civil Society Organizations led by Women in Kosovo” initiative, financed by the European Union and managed by the EU Office in Kosovo, on 19 Feb. KWN organized a training on Effective Advocacy. During this training, participants had the opportunity to review elements of the advocacy cycle and discuss practical methods for developing advocacy strategies in order to apply to the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF).  
  During the first part of the workshop, participants discussed the importance of advocacy for promoting and protecting women’s rights and reviewed the advocacy cycle. 
   During the second part of the workshop, participants collaborated in groups to create strategies for effective advocacy, presenting these to other participants for input. 
     KWN members will be able to draw from these strategies in writing their project proposals for support from the Kosovo Women’s Fund. 

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 

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KWN Members Hold Bimonthly Meeting

26.02.2015

KWN organized its regular bimonthly meeting on 2 Feb. in which more than 60 participants, including KWN members, Board members, international organizations, and other stakeholders participated.
     Participants voted on members of the Grant Review Committee during the meeting. The chosen candidates will not be eligible to apply for Kosovo Women’s Fund grants. Voting was conducted according to the rule of one member organization receives one vote. Ultimately, Feride Rushiti was selected as the member of the Grant Review Committee.   

    Mimoza Paçuku, Fund’s Manager, explained the details of the call for applications for the Kosovo Women’s Fund, which will remain open until 26 February 2015 at 17:00.  For the second time in the history of the fund, KWN members will have the opportunity to apply for two types of grants: 1) Grants for individual advocacy initiatives led by one organization, and 2) Networking for Change Advocacy grants. Mimoza explained how to complete each type of application. Full applications for both types of grants can be downloaded from KWN’s website here. 

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 

The Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality met on 25 Feb in Prishtina. Assembly members and civil society representatives discussed their advocacy initiatives for every municipality, as well as those on the central level.

Lobby for Gender Equality Holds First 2015 Meeting

26.02.2015

 The Kosovo Lobby for Gender Equality met on 25 Feb in Prishtina. Assembly members and civil society representatives discussed their advocacy initiatives for every municipality, as well as those on the central level. Further, they discussed legislation regarding war rape survivors, the Law on Inheritance and advocacy activities planned for 8 March, International Women’s Day. 
   “I have benefited a lot from the meetings organized by the Kosovo Women’s Lobby, mostly from the fact that we discussed what other Gender Equality Advocacy Groups were advocating for in other municipalities,” stated Hysnije Mustafa-Shamolli “We will use the information we exchanged in order to finalize our existing ideas, as well as to come up with new ideas”.

     This meeting was supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). The next meeting of the Lobby will be held in April.  
 
 
The establishment of the Lobby provides space for men and boys of Kosovo who support equal rights between women and men, to join the group.
Members of this Lobby can be women and men, boys and girls, from throughout Kosovo who share this vision, regardless of political party affiliation, gender, age, ethnicity, ability, religion, geographic location, level of education, or socioeconomic status.
 Lobby groups continue to operate at the municipal level and have selected issues on which they will advocate in 2015 towards gender equality. They will also collaborate for national level advocacy initiatives.
 For further details, please contact info@womensnetwork.org

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 starts the new Research on Domestic Violence and Sexual Harassment

25.02.2015

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) conducted the first ever Kosovo-wide household survey on incidence of domestic violence in 2008 in collaboration with the Agency for Gender Equality in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo (AGE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Women’s Safety and Security Initiative.
     Much time has passed since the baseline study and now the time is ripe to carry out a follow-up study to measure how attitudes have changed over time as well as to identify remaining gaps in the legal outface and its implementation. KWN, in cooperation with other key stakeholders, plans to carry out this important research. The research also will inform the new National Strategy and Action Plan on Protection against Domestic Violence, planned to be drafted in 2015. This research will be funded by the Austrian Development Agency.
     Entitled Security Begins at Home, the resulting publication examined levels of awareness regarding domestic violence, its forms, and where to seek assistance. The research also involved interviews with officials in institutions responsible for implementing the then existing legal framework pertaining to domestic violence. This important study informed the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence, Strategy and National Action Plan (NAP), and Standard Operating Procedures in Kosovo for persons who suffered domestic violence (SOPs) used by all institutions.
     The aims of the new research to be undertaken by KWN in the coming months, include measuring (changes in) attitudes, awareness and incidence of domestic violence and sexual harassment in Kosovo, respectively; and monitoring implementation of the legal framework by relevant public institutions (e.g., police, judges, prosecutors, victim advocates, shelters, legal aid offices, etc.), particularly the National Action Plan on Protection against Domestic Violence.
     The research methods will involve mixed methods including: review of Legal Framework to identify remaining gaps in the legal outface and its implementation; conducting a survey with 1,290 citizens to measure awareness, attitudes and incidence of domestic violence and sexual harassment (95% confidence); interviews with institutions and actors responsible for implementing the legal framework; and review of statistical data gathered from relevant institutions on official interventions in cases of domestic violence since 2008. 
      The research is planned to be publish on the first half of September 2015 and will be available in three languages. The research will be used to inform advocacy initiatives carried out by KWN and its members between mid-2015 and the end of 2017 (in cooperation with other interested actors). The exact same research process will be repeated in 2017 to measure improvements in attitudes and behaviours. 

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 

During the play "Take care of the one you love"

Artpolis raises awareness among youth through Forum-Theatre

03.02.2015

 Hundreds of young people assembled at the Dodona theatre to witness the performance titled “Take care of the one you love”. The performance was directed by Dardana Mehmeti, and actors included: Aulona Prokshi, Edon Shileku, Gresa Xhema, Veton Gjinaj, Nitë Makolli dhe Skënder Podvorica.
    This performance dealt with the topic of early marriages and gender based violence, and depicted a 17 year old teenager, victim of early marriage and unwanted pregnancy.  As a result of this, she was also faced with physical violence from her husband of a same age. 
  The actors very emotionally and professionally performed many moments that are experienced by women and girls in abusive relationships, such as her friends’ attempts to help her, and her fear that her family will not support her if she decides to leave her abusive husband. The genre of this performance was forum-theatre, and its objective was to increase awareness among youth on early marriage, abusive relationships, and unwanted pregnancy
     “It is very important for young people to witness reality and deal with the consequences of their actions,” said the director of the performance, Dardana Mehmeti. “We use theater as a medium for raising awareness and tackle topics that are faced by youth. This medium is much more attractive than lectures, which are frequently seen as boring. Through theatre, on the other hand, they learn lessons that stick to their memory”.    At the end of the performance, the viewers had the opportunity to ask questions to the characters. Artpolis attempts to perform this performance as much as possible so that awareness can be raised among youth on these negative occurrences.  This initiative was supported by the American Embassy 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 

Young Activists learn about Integrated Security

03.02.2015

On 29 January-1February, a workshop titled “Integrated Security for Young Activists” as organized by the NGO Artpolis, member of KWN. Participants of the workshop included young activists on women’s rights from various organizations, including three KWN representatives.
    During the workshop, a safe space was created to reflect on the welfare and personal safety of the activists, stress management, trauma management, time planning, and other topics related to activists’ welfare and their safety and security. 
The workshop was facilitated by Zana Hoxha Krasniqi, Artpolis, and Svjetlana Markovič, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, BeH. During the workshop, activists discussed different topics and shared intimate stories with one another. All those stories will remain confidential, as explicitly stated.
  “We had the opportunity to discuss issues that concern us, in a safe space where we were not judged by anyone,” said one participant. “We really needed this workshop”.  
   Participants had the opportunity to learn more on bio-energy, and to reflect on their future plans, to think more about themselves, and to put themselves first.  

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 

MEST, KWN Initiate Gender Responsive Budgeting

30.01.2015

 On Jan. 30, KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova, Program Manager/Lead Researcher Nicole Farnsworth and Coordinator Donjeta Morina met Prof. Dr. Arsim Bajrami, Minister of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) to discuss collaborating towards institutionalizing gender responsive budgeting (GRB) in MEST. During the meeting, Minister Bajrami expressed his interest in this cooperation and emphasized his willingness to make the work of MEST as transparent and efficient as possible. 
     “I am very happy that we will cooperate in integrating gender responsive budgeting in MEST. You will have my full support throughout this process,” stated Minister Bajrami, highlighting his long-term commitment towards issues concerning gender equality.
     Minister Bajrami agreed that MEST, as a very important Ministry, can help increase or decrease gender inequalities through budget allocations and distributions. Minister Bajrami also mentioned his strong commitment towards increasing the quality of education related services, stating that this will be his top priority.
     In 2014, KWN cooperated with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), in assisting the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) in integrating gender responsive budgeting in budget processes. After this successful experience, KWN will continue offering assistance to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2015. This will be supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
     GRB introduces an approach through which a gender perspective can be integrated into budgetary processes. GRB involves a process through which strategic objectives towards enhancing gender equality can be introduced into the budget. It can help increase transparency, increase effectiveness of public expenditures, and facilitate monitoring of implementation. The process of GRB analysis can help identify whether public spending reaches different groups of women and men; how effective resource allocations are in meeting the potentially diverse needs of women and men; how effective the implementation of policies and budgets is in achieving overall gender goals; and how gender (in)equalities may impact the achievement of overall goals. Further, budget officers, budget departments, and institutions at municipal and national levels can use GRB to better communicate and substantiate the needs of their departments to other institutions and actors, including the Ministry of Finance.

 

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 

Letter to Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Isa Mustafa 29 January 2015

29.01.2015

 
29 January 2015
 
Dear Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Isa Mustafa:
 
On 24 and 27 Jan., Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) staff members participated in the protests with the slogan “Jablanovic Out; Trepca is Ours”. KWN took part in these protests for the following reasons. First, although he is a minister in the government of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Aleksandar Jablanovic denied the independent statehood of the Republic of Kosovo by referring to Kosovo as “Kosovo and Metohija”. Second, while in Gjakova, Mr. Jablanovic called the mothers of missing persons “beasts”. Third, we wanted to join fellow citizens in demanding that the government bring into discussion the law that would make Trepca a public enterprise.
Thousands of Kosovo citizens entered the streets twice to 1) express their concerns regarding Mr. Jablanovic’s statements; 2) demand that the Government of Kosovo dismiss Mr. Jablanovic from his position as a Minister; and 3) to call upon the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo to decide upon the future of Trepca.
 
KWN continues to support the citizens of Kosovo who are using their rights, guaranteed by law, to express their dissatisfaction through peaceful protest. In accordance with our Statute, we entered into these protests as citizens, without any political affiliation with any political party, because we, as citizens, wanted to make these demands.
 
KWN condemns the violence used in these protests. The first reaction of the Kosovo Police against peaceful protestors on 27 Jan., as shown on media and as we witnessed with our own eyes, was disproportional.
We call upon you, as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo to immediately dismiss Mr. Jablanovic from any official position in the Republic of Kosovo, not only due to his denial of Kosovo’s existence as an independent state, but more importantly because of his insults against Kosovo mothers who for 16 years continue to await information about their loved ones who went missing during the war. KWN has continuously stood behind the mothers of missing persons in their demands to learn the fate of their loved ones and will continue to do so.
Sincerely,
 
Igballe Rogova

    

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 

Thousands of citizens took to the streets with the slogan “Jabllanoviq out – Trepça belongs to us”

28.01.2015

 On 27 Jan. thousands of citizens gathered in Zahir Pajaziti Square in Prishtina to make two requests for Government of Republic of Kosovo; discharging Minister Alexander Jabllanovic, who through a declaration denied the independence of the Republic of Kosovo and simultaneously referred to the mothers of missing persons from Gjakova as ‘savages’, also for the government to bring the law that transforms Trepça in a public enterprise. 
    Even though the right for peaceful protest is a guaranteed right by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, many citizens from different cities were obstructed by the police to come to Prishtina. Allegedly, the police had stopped their buses, therefore certain citizens decided to go to Prishtina from Peja by foot. 
The march in Prishtina started from the square ‘Zahir Pajaziti’ and halted at square ‘Skenderbeg’, where speeches were held by various political and non-political actors. However, many of the protesters present, were there to raise their voice about those to requests, without supporting or being affiliated to any of the political parties. 
    Many of the protesters expressed their concern that media in Kosovo did not show all sides of the protest. 
“Our media does not inform us on the reality of what is happening. As peaceful protesters, we sat down on our knees a few times during the protest, to show that our objective was to protest peacefully,” said one of the protesters. “While discussing the issue with people who only watched the protest through television, I understood that practically no media outlet showed the times where we sat down, nor the times when the organizers pleaded to the protesters to stop.” 
    After a while the protesters started to run from the teargas that was being thrown at them by the police. The citizens resisted the police for five hours. At some point the situation escalated and protesters grabbed whatever was in their way, in order to express their revolt, and in order to protect themselves from the rubber bullets that the police was throwing at them. 
“I was shocked when I went home and my family members told me what they had seen on TV, and when I told them what really happened, they wouldn’t believe me ,” stated one protester. “My friends and I went to the protest without being affiliated with any party; we simply wanted to peacefully protest, as worried citizens, to make use of our rights to express our support for the miners of Trepca, we did not go out to cause damage to public property.” 
    As a non-governmental organization, and without being affiliated to any political party, KWN staff; solely as citizens of the Republic of Kosovo. The Government of the Republic of Kosovo did not take any measure to counter the offenses uttered by Jabllanoviq towards the mothers of missing persons, who continue not knowing anything about the fate of missing persons, 16 years after the war in Kosovo. Hence, KWN staff took part in the protest to protect the dignity of mothers and citizens who referred to as “savages” by Jabllanoviq.

 

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 

Council for Survivors of Sexual Violence Organizes Workshop on Exchanging Experiences between Bosnia and Hercegovina and Kosovo

26.01.2015

 With support from the Legal Office at the Prime Minister’s office and UN Women, the National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence during the war, under the leadership of Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo, organized a two day workshop in Tirana. This workshop, which was held on 15-18 January 2015, gathered a delegation from Bosnia and Hercegovina, members of the National Council on Survivors of Sexual Violence during the war in Kosovo, and other participants.
    The objective of the workshop was to exchange experiences between Bosnia and Hercegovina and Kosovo regarding sexual violence during the war. Participants exchanged experiences on rehabilitation, reintegration, and empowerment of survivors. One of the main issues of discussion during the exchange, was the recognition of the statute of survivors in Bosnia and Hercegovina.
    Igballe Rogova, KWN Executive Director, is a member of the National Council for Survivors of Sexual Violence during the war in Kosovo. With support from UN Women, OHCHR and the Legal Office at the Prime Minister’s office, the Council has begun drafting different articles of utmost importance for the implementation of the law on recognizing the statute of  martyrs  invalids, veterans, KLA members, persons raped during the war, civil victims of the war and their family was approved in March 20 2014.
This law recognizes the status of women raped during the war in 1998-1999 in Kosovo, in an attempt to prevent social stigmatization and to restore their dignity. The approval of this law is the result of a two year long advocacy process by women, civil society, and political institutions.
    Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and its member assisted throughout this process. KWN attracted attention towards the situation of women who have suffered sexual violence during the war through its protest organized on March 9 2012, with the slogan: “We don’t want flowers, we want justice for women raped during the war,”

 

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