Women’s Caucus and Women Assembly Members Support CBW’s Initiative

29.07.2015

As part of the initiative “Advocacy for providing free transport for blind persons”, the Committee of Blind Women of Kosova (CBW), recently organized a meeting with representatives from various organizations including, Women Assembly Members, The Women Caucus, members of CBW and Kosova Women’s Network (KWN).
   During this meeting, the Law for Blind Persons was discussed. This law, which was approved in 2012, says “Blind persons and their companions, when accompanying the blind person, shall enjoy benefits in payment, urban traffic is free, and in under urban traffic traveling payment shall be fifty percent (50%) of the value of the ticket.”
   During the meeting Halil Kurmishi, a lawyer, talked about how the law is not being properly implemented, the changes that need to occur,. Kurmishi and several other representatives also made several recommendations for addressing the inadequate implementation and enforcement. .
   Following discussion of the law, the Women Caucus promised that they would raise this issue at government level. In September, they will organize a meeting with all relevant stakeholders, which could increase coordination among all institutions in working towards the elimination of discriminatory practices resulting from the lack of enforcement of this law.
This initiative is supported by the Kosova Women’s Fund (KWF) in the amount of €2.750. KWF is funded by The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and The European Union.

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Women and Girls advocate successfully in the municipality of Novo Brdo

Women and Girls advocate successfully in the municipality of Novo Brdo

22.07.2015

 Even though July has seen extremely high temperatures, the Foundation for Education and Development (FED) has not been prevented from implementing their initiative, “Say no to prejudices”. The main goal of this initiative is two-fold: to gather women and girls together to discuss their mutual problems; and at the same time, to break ethnic prejudices by having them advocate together for these problems.
   So Far, FED has united 20 Albanian and Serbian women and girls, who were able to discuss mutual issues during several meetings.  These meetings also served to teach the women how to advocate to the officials of the Novo Brdo Municipality for three priority issues which they identified..  
   On 21 July, the women and girls gathered in Novo Brdo for a roundtable where they had the opportunity to speak in front of the Mayor of the Novo Brdo Municipality, Svetislav Ivanovic, the Vice-president of the Municipality, Bajrush Ymeri and to the Chairperson of the group of women parliamentarians in the Municipal Assembly of Novo Brdo, Shefkije Mehmeti. The three main issues they addressed are the following:
   First of all, The booth, which was placed and furnished from the past project of FEZH (supported by KWF) near the information center of Novo Brdo, is now to be reopened with the help of the Municipality. The group of women asked the mayor for the booth to be placed near the Municipal building, since this location is frequented more often by people. At the same time they also requested that the booth have a transparent job application process that is open to all citizens so that they may apply for the position of a salesperson in this booth.
   The second issue brought up by the women focused on property rights and inheritances. Although the land of Novo Brdo is very fertile and well-suited for agriculture, property and inheritance rights still remain taboo topics. Therefore, there is a  great need for women from Novo Brdo to organize at least two meetings with the help of the Municipality in particular the Office for Gender Equality. “During these meetings women from the two communities can get to know each other and to discuss the mutual problems they are facing in regard to property and inheritance,’ said Vjollca Zeqiri, the executive director of FED.
Even though Nazmije Bunjaku, official of property taxation in Novo Brdo, said that citizens have started to become more aware of registering their properties and paying regular taxes for them, few properties are registered by women. “I can say that out of 350 properties, for this year, 10 have been registered by women. This is a big step if we compare it with the previous years.”
   The third issue for which the women advocated was related to the work of the Red Cross. The group of women asked Selvete Zymberi, an official from the Red Cross in Novo Brdo, for this institution to become more transparent in their activities. Zymberi also informed the women about the current programs they have, including: health education, youth activities, and first aid in schools etc. “Citizens can get information about these activities through our leaflets which we publish regularly,’ said Selvete Zymberi. Women participants continued to advocate for greater transparency, proposing for these leaflets to become available to all citizens by placing them in the Citizen’s Service Centre within the Municipality of Novo Brdo. The center is one of the places that is being frequented most by citizens.
    The Mayor of the Municipality, Svetislav Ivanovic congratulated women and girls for this initiative and for these concrete proposals, which can be implemented by the municipality. 
The initiative is supported by the Kosova Women’s Fund (KWF) with the amount of €2,350. KWF is funded by Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and European Union Office in Kosovo.

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Resolution of Feminist Economists gathering at the IAFFE conference in Berlin, July 16-18, 2015

20.07.2015

We are shocked that the EU institutions and European leaders are imposing on the people of Greece a further program of austerity that will severely undermine the living conditions of women and men and plunge them into a deep crisis of deprivation. This hits Greek women particularly hard as they will have to provide the safety net of last resort through intensified work of taking care of their families, friends and communities.
As feminist economists, as well as many other economists, have stressed over many years, the debt burden is unsustainable, this fact has recently even been acknowledged by the IMF. Thus, the hardship imposed on Greek people will not resolve the problem of its indebtedness, but it will rather worsen the great depression.
The fate of women, men and their families should not be abandoned by EU institutions and politicians and left in the hands of financial powers. The same neoliberal political perspective under the name of “structural adjustments”, has led to enormous sufferings and political instability in Latin America, Asia and Africa. As we know, the vicious circle was only interrupted by a drastic change in political perspective and policies.
Women across Europe, although in different ways according to class, citizenship and ethnicity, have already been disadvantaged by the neoliberal policy of the EU institutions and member state governments. The proposed action against Greece will further damage women’s economic and social status and autonomy in all EU countries.
In addition to jeopardizing the independence and democratic basis of a Member State government, austerity imperils women’s and men’s power to design and implement transformative policies for a sustainable and democratic future that puts women’s and men’s well-being at the center.
Painful lessons of history, especially of the First and Second World War, should never be forgotten. Europe has to be alert to the political and economic dangers that are embedded in this austerity approach. Furthermore, history teaches us that these problems can only be solved by significant debt reduction, as for example in 1953, and by international solidarity and collaboration.
We call upon EU leaders and in particular the government of Germany to come to an agreement with Greece respecting the dignity of Greek people and democratic processes, including
  • an immediate moratorium on Greek government debt and negotiate a write-down of this debt,
  • a progressive fiscal policy that takes into proper account the distribution of income between labour and financial capital; sustains the process of social reproduction that enables women and men, in their life cycle, to live and work with dignity; promotes the creation of high-quality jobs, aiming at a substantial reduction of working hours for all, and investment in public services and care infrastructure. 

 

Source: European Gender Budgeting Network
Gender Budgeting in Europe-NOW!

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Second Group of Peace Corps Learn about Women’s Rights in Kosovo

15.07.2015

On 15 Jul., KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova spoke to 37 Peace Corps volunteers about women’s movement in Kosovo, its start in 90s, the movement’s achievments until now and the challenges it faces. The volunteers are the second group to volunteer in Kosovo. They’re participating in a three-month comprehensive cross-cultural, language and technical training before starting to their specific regions across the country to teach English in primary schools.
    The Peace Corps Program in Kosovo was launched on 9 Sep. 2013 with an official signing ceremony at the Office of the President in Pristina. The Program was invited to start its work by President of Kosovo madam Atifete Jahjaga, who signed the agreement along with Helen Lowman, Peace Corps former Regional Director and current Associate Director of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection.
    “With the great support of USAID and the U.S. Department of State, the Peace Corps looks forward to establishing a vibrant and enduring program in Kosovo,” Lowman said following the signing ceremony.
     Upon signing this agreement, Kosovo became the Peace Corps’ 140th country of service since its establishment in 1961. It is also the organization’s first entry into a new country since opening a program in Cambodia in 2007. Peace Corps staff visited Kosovo after the agreement was signed and worked together with Kosovo’s government to identify the local communities that would be best served by the agency’s volunteers.
    Peace Corps volunteers are also encouraged to participate in community and school-based projects. This offers opportunities to share experiences, exchange skills and knowledge and establish increased understanding between volunteers and their host communities. The Peace Corps approach is built on the importance of people-to-people, grassroots exchange of ideas.
    Since its founding by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961, more than 210,000 Americans have volunteered across the globe. The Peace Corps’ mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three main goals: help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women; help promote a better understanding of Americans by the peoples served; and help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. Currently, volunteers are working in local communities in the focus areas of agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth development.

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AWGj & Artpolis collaborate to create mechanisms against sexual harassment

01.07.2015

“Artpolis” and “Active Women of Gjakova” organized a joint training about the methods of advocacy and the legal mechanisms needed to address sexual harassment in public universities. The training was held on 1 July, 2015 at Hotel Sirius, in Prishtina as part of the Networking for Change Grant, which was granted to these two organizations by Kosova Women’s Fund.
    To address sexual harassment in public universities, the two organizations have invited young women activists, who study at the Prishtina University and Gjakova University. Getting together through meetings and trainings they will learn how to advocate to initiate the process of creating legal mechanisms against sexual harassment in public universities.
“This is the start of a hard and long process, which requires a full engagement for a long period of time. We hope to achieve to make changes,” said Zana Hoxha Krasniqi, director of “Artpolis”.
    During this training, the participants had the opportunity to learn about interactive advocacy methods from the trainer Dardana Mehmeti. She showed concrete methods on how to advocate through art and street actions. While, in the second session, the participants worked in groups, where they analyzed the aim of this initiative using the SWOT and SMART method. These methods assisted the girls in defining the strategies they will use when doing advocacy with relevant institutions.
    They shared personal cases of sexual harassment that happened to them in the universities where they studied and discussed ways of approaching in these cases. One concerning issue that emerged during the discussion was; what to do in cases when evidence of sexual harassment is missing. Gresa Rahmani, student at the Prishtina University recommended that “in cases when there are more than 5 cases that report sexual harassment towards one person, then the institutional mechanisms need to investigate this case even if there evidence is missing.” She proposed for this recommendation to be part of the legal mechanisms against sexual harassment in public universities.
    During the third session, the trainer Ariana Qosaj- Mustafa informed the participants for the legal framework of Kosovo, especially for the laws that define and punish sexual harassment. They include: the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo (2008), the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women – CEDAW (1979), which is part of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. The Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo (2012), the Law Against Discrimination, the Law on Gender Equality (2015), the Law on Civil Service of Kosovo (2010) and the Law on Public Peace and Order (2009).
    The young women will continue to work for the aim of this initiative, through trainings and meetings that Valbona Doli-Rizvanolli from “Active Women of Gjakova” and Dardana Mehmeti from “Artpolis” will organize in the following months.
This project is financed from the office of the European Union in Kosovo.  
 

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Citizens donate thousands of Skirts for “Thinking of you”

Citizens donate thousands of Skirts for “Thinking of you”

01.07.2015

From May 9 to 6 July the National Council for the Survivors of Sexual Violence during the War organized several activities to contribute to the artistic installation “Thinking of you” by artist Alketa Xhafa-Mripa, which is dedicated to women survivors of sexual violence perpetrated during the war. Activities for collecting skirts for this exhibition were organized throughout Kosovo and more than five thousand dresses and skirts were collected, which were subsequently displayed at the Prishtina Stadium on 12 July.

“This skirt has a closed history since spring 1998. Dardania 1 Peja” was written on a blue skirt that was hanged on the fourth row of stadium. This skirt carries mysterious history of the woman who donated it, but that is not the only dress with a special history. All dresses have a story: someone donated their wedding dress, someone donated their deceased mother’s dress who kept and loved it for over 20 years; many others donated other special dresses in order to support survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo.
 
“We found support beyond borders in Tirana, New York, in London, we found support from human rights activists, women’s organization that from the first day became the voice of survivors that gave them the unconditional support. Sevdija, Igballja, Feridja, Mirlinda, Veprorja, Kadirja and so many other women, thank you” said the President of Republic of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga.  

 

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Memorial ‘Heroinat’, dedicated to women’s sacrifice and contribution in Kosovo.

Gratitude for Women’s Contribution

01.07.2015

On 12 Jun., President of Republic of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga; Prime minister Isa Mustafa; Executive Director of Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) Igballe Rogova and the deputy of Kosova’s Parliament Alma Lama inaugurated the memorial ‘Heroinat’, that is dedicated to women’s sacrifice and contribution in Kosovo.
     This memorial was done by the sculptor Ilir Blakçori and is placed in the park near the centre Youth and Sports in Prishtina.     
     Many years ago women from civil society and from politics discussed on creating a memorial for women’s and girl’s contribution for the independence of Kosova.
     “It’s a good feeling that finally we have a memorial through which the gratitude for all women and girls in Kosova is expressed,” said Igballe Rogova, during the ceremony of inauguration.                                                                                                               

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“Psychotherapists in Action”: Informs Students about Trafficking

“Psychotherapists in Action”: Informs Students about Trafficking

30.06.2015

On June 11, 8th and 9th grade students from Selami Hallaqi School in Gjilan, had the opportunity to learn more about and discuss human trafficking.
The trainer, Linda Bllaca, informed more than 40 students about the profiles of traffickers so that they could identify them. She also provided information about the ways in which traffickers “recruit” people. This usually involves promising to people that they will have a job abroad or get married abroad. Sometimes people seeming to be their friends trick them.
Kosova is unfortunately amongst the Balkan states where trafficking is an alarming issue.[1]Women and children are most likely to be trafficked. Usually, young women between the ages of 15 and 17 are sold for sexual exploitation; while children under 13 are trafficked for forced labor and begging.[2]
Students showed great interest regarding consequences for persons who are trafficked and regarding the punishments of traffickers. They discussed international and domestic laws against human trafficking. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of The European Union which was created in 2000 is one of the most important documents on the European level in this regard. In Kosovo, trafficking of human beings is prohibited and punishable according to Article 28 of the Kosovo Constitution (2008), and the Regulation for the Prohibition of Trafficking of Persons and the Criminal Code, which has existed since 2004.
During this workshop, the organizers played a short movie called “The Darkness of the Soul”. The film was created by students from other schools in Gjilan (part of this project) who were motivated by these lectures and decided to act on this issue by making a short movie, based on a true story. The movie further informed students about the consequences of trafficking.
, “if we notice a chance of trafficking, we should immediately inform the police, non-governmental organizations, or even the media. We should not to have prejudices against people who were trafficked,” Linda Bllaca said. “We should accept them again in our society by providing support for them.”
This activity was organized as part of the initiative Prevention of Human Trafficking, supported by the KWN Kosovo Women’s Fund in the amount €2,520 that is financed by the European Union Office in Kosovo.
 

[1] UNICEF Kosovo.Trafficking in Children in Kosovo: A study on protection and assistance provided to children,2004.
victims of trafficking at  http://www.unicef.org/kosovoprogramme/kosovo_media_pub_prot.009.04.pdf
[2] I. Foulkes, Balkans urged to curb trafficking, 2005, BBC News, Geneva at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4397497.stm
 

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Gjakova works towards further institutionalizing GRB

25.06.2015

 ‘’We should set more budget aside for women who want to set up businesses. No but it is difficult for women to do that’’, said some participants while talking to each other as they were walking in and taking place at the table, for the workshop organised by Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) for different officials of various municipal directories in Gjakova, all gathered to learn, discuss and think about Gender Responsive Budgeting.
    Gjakova is the second municipality after Kaminica that has taken on the task to integrate a gender perspective in their municipal budgets and Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). Based on the newly approved Law on Gender Equality, every institution (from Ministry, municipality to Ministral departments) that have their own budget, must incorporate GRB into their budget documents. On this day, it was time for different officials from different municipal directories to gather and get introduced in a very practical and hands on manner to the concept of GRB. Present were ten officials from the following directories; Budget and Finance, Agriculture Forestry and Rural Development, Administration (2), Economic Development, Emergencies, Cadastres, Education, Inspectorate and Health.  
     After some more informal conversations were coming to an end, Nicole Farnsworth Program Manager and Lead Research at KWN welcomed everybody and introduced the issues that were to be handled that day, she praised the municipality of Gjakova for its professional MTEF and stressed that Gjakova will not have difficulties in making the integration of GRB in their budget documents a great success because of this.
    Donjeta Morina Capacity Development Coordinator at KWN started with some more in depth explanation of what GRB entails and what lessons could be learned from the Kaminica experience. An important clarification was made right at the beginning of the presentation where the participants got explained that GRB is the integration of a gender perspective in all steps of the budget. A gender perspective is thinking about the planning and allocation of the budget in gender terms. “One of the common misconceptions is that GRB is only for women or that is requires additional funds”, stated Donjeta, “This is not the case. Just imagine a village with two inhabitants that have budget of €10. Most people think that an equal division of the budget would be to give each of the inhabitants €5 each. But within the framework of GRB, this is not the case. GRB requires a situational analysis of needs. If you want to apply GRB correctly into budget documents and make sure that funds are divided equally, you should analyse the different needs of different people that belong to different social categories.” – she continued. The participants who were nodding understood and agreed fully.
     After a detailed analysis of the different budget lines in which GRB could be integrated in, it was time for each participant to put what they learned into practice by analysing the sections relevant to their own directorate within last year’s MTEF and see where they could improve this budget document by integrating GRB within it. The results were good and useful as all officials expressed their desire to see a growth in the number of women employed within their directories and the field in which they operate. Another comment made frequently was that they believed that in the future data presented within the MTEF for every budget line, should be segregated by gender. All participants left thanking Donjeta for her well-presented workshop and for the new knowledge they gained. This workshop was supported by Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

 

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