Forum Theatre Empowers Women from the Region

19.12.2013

Women from the region gathered in the beautiful city of Prizren on 8-11 Nov. for a workshop on “Using Theatre as a Tool for Empowering Women.” Organized by KWN’s member organization Artpolis, this was the first regional workshop of its kind. The training involved Forum Theatre, an innovative and influential type of theatre created for teaching people how to change their world. It includes interactive sessions between players and audience. At the end of the play, the audience can discuss issues raised by actors and make suggestions. Using Forum Theatre, Artpolis aimed to empower women participants from Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. During the three-day workshop participants learned Forum Theatre. Via small groups, they created Forum Theatre plays on different topics. Debates followed, during which other participants shared ideas and experiences.
     “I had a really good time,” said Nadja Duhacek from Women in Black in Serbia. “We had the chance to exchange experiences with one another. I met old friends and created new friendships. The activity was all very practical and empowering.”
     In the evenings, participants walked around the historic city of Prizren and celebrated during a party on the third evening of the training. The workshop received support from Kvinna till Kvinna.
     “It was a very good experience and we had a great time together,” said a participant. 

06.05.26

Loud Enough: Film Screening Sparks Dialogue on Justice and Sexual Violence Survivors’ Rights

05.05.26

Investing in Gender Equality in the EU Budget through Research Funding

30.04.26

Kosovo Hosts RESPONDER Partnership’s First Meeting, Co-Planning Research on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Aid Workers and Peacekeepers

30.04.26

From Struggle to Confidence: Supporting Girls in Their Teenage Years

30.04.26

New Paper Monitors Gender Equality in Kosovo’s Public Spending

29.04.26

Justice for survivors of gender-based violence: A success story from the Kosovo Women’s Network

Forum participants show their power, wearing T-shirts that state, “This is what a feminist looks like,” at the 2013 Regional Young Feminists Forum, held on 13-14 Nov. in Prishtina.

Young Feminists Strategize, Impress Officials

19.12.2013

 On 13-14 Nov., 40 young feminists from throughout Kosovo and neighbouring countries (e.g., Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia) gathered in Prishtina to spend two amazing working days. Organized by KWN and supported by Kvinna till Kvinna, the 2013 Regional Young Feminists Forum involved young women in deliberating over domestic and global issues. The main issue raised by young women was access to education.
Young women from Kosovo and the region presented advocacy activities in which they are involved. They exchanged information and learnt from each other’s experiences as well as struggles. Then they divided into groups to discuss issues raised during Young Women’s Empowerment Initiative (YWEI) meetings held throughout Kosovo, advocacy strategies, feminism and women’s participation in decision-making. They created advocacy strategies for the next day.
The second day, groups focusing on the need for psychologists in schools and access to education met with officials from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Officials willingly responded to their questions and the ideas presented.
“I was amazed by the will of the MEST officials to answer our questions and give practical recommendations to us,” said one young feminist. “The meeting lasted an hour more than was foreseen.”
Another group visited Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo. They presented orally the main issues raised by young women during the Forum. The President was very attentive, engaging and supportive. She said that young women are the future of Kosovo, and they should have support. After the official meeting, the President continued the discussion with young women, exchanging ideas.
“The President of Kosovo warmly welcomed us, expressed interest about what we had to say and even hosted us for 15 minutes extra,” said one young feminist. “Meeting the President is not something we can do every day, so it was special.”
The “Media” working group focused on how to write a simple article and speak on camera. They also discussed how media portray women and girls with unacceptable language and unethical reporting.
“A very important thing that we learnt was that in case we read, hear or watch inappropriate or incorrect news, we should report it to the Press Council of Kosovo or Independent Media Commission, depending on the type of media,” said a young feminist.
The next day, three young women put their new skills to use, appearing on RTV21’s morning program to present issues discussed at the Forum.
Finally, seven young women in the working group focusing on “Art & Organizing” prepared a Street Action, supported by Artpolis. It addressed “Discrimination at work – Promotion at work” for women. All Forum participants gathered in front of the National Theatre for the performance, which was later shown in most Kosovo media.
“The street action was a concrete example of what you can achieve by organizing and working in groups,” said a young feminist. “We really passed the message to people passing by, as well as through all TV stations present there.”
In the end, Forum participants reviewed the Forum Declaration, amended it and voted for its approval. The Declaration demands implementation of the 30% quota for women’s and men’s participation in decision-making processes; implementation of the pre-university education law; transportation and books for all students attending compulsory education; psychologists in schools; and implementation of the Code of Conduct for written and electronic media.
The Declaration was sent to Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo; Mr. Hashim Thaçi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo; the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; the Ministry of Finance; the Agency for Gender Equality; the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo; the Independent Media Commission and the Press Council of Kosovo.

08.04.14

KWN Releases 2013 Annual Report

07.04.14

KWN Organizes Workshop: “Women Advocate Locally”

03.03.14

Members Gather for Bimonthly Meeting

05.02.14

Individual Member Innovative in Supporting KWN

04.02.14

Members, Stakeholders Evaluate Positively KWN’s Work

07.01.14

KWN Exchanges Experiences with Activists in Austria

Maria Melbing from the Swedish Embassy and Arsim Aziri from the Austrian Development Agency discuss research findings during the launching.

KWN, AH Release “Where’s the Money for Women’s Rights?”

27.11.2013

The Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) and Alter Habitus – Institute for Studies in Society and Culture launched the report Where’s the Money for Women’s Rights? A Kosovo Case Study. This event brought together more than 40 participants (donors, non-governmental women’s organizations and other civil society representatives) to discuss the findings and recommendations of the nine-month study.
     In her presentation, KWN’s Nicole Farnsworth said, “organizations for women’s rights play an important role in supporting and developing democratic institutions, promoting women’s rights as human rights, shifting gender norms, raising public awareness, providing services to marginalized groups (especially when they lack support from the state), and seeking accountability from the government through advocacy.”
     The research examines the importance of supporting women’s organizations in relation to social change processes; funding trends between 2000 and 2013; decisions to fund women’s organizations (or not); the sustainability of women’s organizations; and opportunities for collaboration among women’s organizations and donors in creating collective resource mobilization strategies and funding mechanisms for women’s rights organizations. The report makes recommendations for all stakeholders: government, women’s organizations and donors regarding the best ways for improving women’s rights organizations’ access to resources towards promoting gender equality.
     Participants unanimously agreed that better coordination among donors, women’s organizations and the government would help advance women’s rights. Moreover, the KWN Kosova Women’s Fund, which combines small grants, intensive training and mentoring for organizations, was seen as a potential solution for donors who want to support small organizations. While small organizations may not have the capacity to compete with larger organizations, they carry out very important work with rural and marginalized groups.
     Also, women’s rights organizations requested long-term contracts with donors, which would enable organizations to implement strategies towards their long-term visions. For them, long-term support clearly impacts on strengthening the women’s movement in Kosovo and advances social change.
     This research, supported by the Association of Women in Development (AWID) and Kvinna till Kvinna, was conducted between January and September 2013. The report draws from 40 interviews with donors who have worked in Kosovo and a survey of 90 diverse women’s organizations.

For more information about the report and findings, please visit the KWN website:http://www.womensnetwork.org/documents/20131120160749318.pdf.

08.04.14

KWN Releases 2013 Annual Report

07.04.14

KWN Organizes Workshop: “Women Advocate Locally”

03.03.14

Members Gather for Bimonthly Meeting

05.02.14

Individual Member Innovative in Supporting KWN

04.02.14

Members, Stakeholders Evaluate Positively KWN’s Work

07.01.14

KWN Exchanges Experiences with Activists in Austria

OPDMK discusses their contract with KWN.

Seven Organizations Receive Kosovo Women’s Fund Grants

22.11.2013

Seven KWN member organizations received grants from the KWN Kosovo Women’s Fund on 22 Nov. totalling €18,509. Following an orientation session, they signed contracts and energetically set out to begin their initiatives. The Fund enables underserved smaller, rural and/or marginalized organizations to access funds for important initiatives at the local level.
     “I am very happy that through the Network we can reach grassroots organizations, which we cannot do with our internal staff capacities,” said Christian Geosits from Austrian Development Agency (ADA), which funded this fourth grant round. “I cherish the structure that we have created together with the Network because it works very well in reaching grassroots organizations.”
     Grant recipients and their initiatives include:
  • The Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK) will organize various activities for people with special needs from Pristina, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Mitrovica, Prizren and various rural areas. (€2,700)
  • The Women’s Initiative Association will train women from the village of Bresane in Dragash in tailoring, towards enhancing their employment opportunities. (€3,000)
  • Contemporary Woman will organize health lectures, psychosocial training and exercises to replace physiotherapy, as well as advocate for the regional hospital in Prizren to offer better services to persons with disabilities. (€2,155)
  • The Association for Education and Family Care will organize educational sessions for young people in the Municipality of Gjakova on the topic of “Protection from Sexually Transmitted Diseases.” (€2,390)
  • NGO Gora will work to economically empower Gorani women in Dragash by creating handmade products and selling them in fairs. (€2,780)
  • Hendifer will organize gynaecological visits and trainings towards preventing breast and uterine cancer among women in villages. (€2,630)
  • Alma will work on identifying women and economically empowering them in two communities in Peja Municipality: Lutogllava and Leshan. (€2,854)
Through the Kosovo Women’s Fund, organizations also receive mentoring and support in furthering their organizational capacities.
“I appreciate this session very much because we will need all this information when implementing our project,” a grant recipient said.
     During the orientation, organizations learned procedures for narrative and financial reporting, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
“Today they received so many forms, examples and advice on how to manage a project well,” said Arsim Aziri from ADA, who attended the orientation. “It is a lot of work for such small projects, but definitely they will learn from this experience.”
     Through Fund, KWN offers its member organizations new skills and experience from which they can draw in applying to new funders in the future.

 

08.04.14

KWN Releases 2013 Annual Report

07.04.14

KWN Organizes Workshop: “Women Advocate Locally”

03.03.14

Members Gather for Bimonthly Meeting

05.02.14

Individual Member Innovative in Supporting KWN

04.02.14

Members, Stakeholders Evaluate Positively KWN’s Work

07.01.14

KWN Exchanges Experiences with Activists in Austria

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (Organizata e Personave me Distrofi Muskulare)

20.11.2013

People with special needs do not enjoy equal opportunities in having an active role in the society they live in and are often excluded from it.
Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPMDK), through their initiatve "My step, my challenge" aimed to improve the living conditions of disabled persons, meaning that the responsible institutions undertake concrete steps to improve access for persons with special needs.

It also aimed to gain respect for equal rights for disabled persons, emphasising the fact that disabled persons play an active role in society and they show to the public and responsible institutions they are part of society and that they can and know how to present their skills. 

Some of the activities organized included: engaging 10 OPMDK volunteers to collect data and photographs in Prizren to verify the access of disabled person to public institutions; preparation and printing of 100 T-shirts for participants with the slogan " Make a difference " ( Make a change); and the of organizzation a roundtable. In the area of sports were included: a competitions with electronic wheelchairs ( zig zag ) and non-electronic wheelchairs; a competition in table tennis and chess; a street ball race. Certificates were given to the winners of the race in different categories.

21.06.24

Public Call for Applications for Capacity Building and Sub-Granting in Gender and Climate Change Financing

21.08.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

02.02.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

25.01.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

19.12.18

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK)

19.12.18

Women’s Association “Aureola”

Women’s Initiative Association (Shoqata Iniciativa e Grave)

20.11.2013

A very low number of employed women within the Municipality of Dragash, as well as the lack of freedom of movement for women due to social constraints, made Women’s Initiative Association come up with the idea of the initiative entitled "New opportunities towards advancing employment."

The Association aimed to train 30 women and girls in particular profession, their employment and their economic empowerment. This controbutes also towards increasing the confidence of 30 women and girls and improvement of their position in the family and society.
 

21.06.24

Public Call for Applications for Capacity Building and Sub-Granting in Gender and Climate Change Financing

21.08.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

02.02.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

25.01.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

19.12.18

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK)

19.12.18

Women’s Association “Aureola”

Contemporary Woman (Gruaja Bashkëkohore)

20.11.2013

There is lack of advocacy for disabled women concerning health services and a big need for physio therapeutic treatments for disabled women in Prizren. Therefore the project "Help today for a better future for women with disabilities" aimed to promote cooperation between women with disabilities in order for them to advocate for better conditions.

Activies organized towards the realization of the initiative included health lectures, psycho-social trainings, fitness exercises to replace psysiotherapy exercises, as well as advocating at the hospital of the regional centre in Prizren so there will be better services provided to persons with disabilities.

21.06.24

Public Call for Applications for Capacity Building and Sub-Granting in Gender and Climate Change Financing

21.08.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

02.02.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

25.01.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

19.12.18

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK)

19.12.18

Women’s Association “Aureola”

The Association for Education and Family Care (Shoqata për Edukim dhe Përkujdesjen e Familjes)

20.11.2013

The Association for Education and Family Care considers there is a lack of information and awareness among youth regarding sexually transmitted diseases, use of drugs, alcohol, sexuality etc. Therefore, their project entitled "More awareness – Less risk" aims to raise awareness among young people of the Municipality of Gjakova regarding the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD).

This is achieved through informative sessions with youngsters from secondary and high schools and organizing girls in groups. It also included the distribution of booklets with information for protection from STDs.

A questionnarie for the assessment of knowledge about STDs among young people was prepared.. Meanwhile a round table was organized on 1st of December – International Day of HIV / AIDS. The other activity was the quiz of knowledge for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS

21.06.24

Public Call for Applications for Capacity Building and Sub-Granting in Gender and Climate Change Financing

21.08.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

02.02.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

25.01.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

19.12.18

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK)

19.12.18

Women’s Association “Aureola”

Gora

20.11.2013

Gorani women face difficulties from their families regarding their participation in public life.  Therefore, economic empowerment is the first step for them to achieve independence and participate in more activities of the public life.

NGO Gora organized a training to coordinate the group of women and assign their roles in preparing the products, as well as helped them to purchase raw materials; prepare the final product design; prepare the product and packaging for products; and to participate in different fairs ;
It also held a training on teaching women how to invest their profit to further develop their business and collaborate with Albanian women.
 

21.06.24

Public Call for Applications for Capacity Building and Sub-Granting in Gender and Climate Change Financing

21.08.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

02.02.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

25.01.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

19.12.18

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK)

19.12.18

Women’s Association “Aureola”

Hendifer

20.11.2013

The project "A Healthy Woman – A Happy Family" is to raise awareness among women in 6 villages of Ferizaj about breast cancer and cervical cancer. Activies organized to achieve this include meetings with the heads of villages and women in order to spread the infomation about the training and send out invitations for the training. Transfer for  women with disabilities from their homes to the place where the training takes place and vice versa will be provided.

There are also brochures given to everyone in order to raise awareness regarding the dissease. After the training 50 women (5 from each village) will be sent to the doctor for medical check-ups. Women from these villages will also be included in the already exisiting "Self-supported group".

 

The project helps women socialize among themselves and increase their cooperation by exchanging ideas. It allso eleminates barriers women face from their families when it comes to medical check-ups, especially going to the gynecologist.

21.06.24

Public Call for Applications for Capacity Building and Sub-Granting in Gender and Climate Change Financing

21.08.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

02.02.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

25.01.23

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE KOSOVO WOMEN’S FUND

19.12.18

Organization of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK)

19.12.18

Women’s Association “Aureola”