Kosovo Women's Network

Forget flowers: Men and women wait to donate blood, on International Womenâ€™s Day in Kosovo.

Give Life: Give Blood, KWN Marks 8 March

05.04.2013

KWN, supported by the National Center for Blood Transfusion (NCBT), marked International Women’s Day through a street action “Give Life: Give Blood.” Between 12:00 and 15:00 on 8 Mar., 37 men and women donated blood in Mother Teresa Square in Prishtina.
Marking 8 Mar. with a protest or action has become an annual tradition for KWN. KWN members decided that KWN’s advocacy this year would focus on women’s access to quality healthcare. Citizens were invited to donate blood (instead of giving flowers), assisting Kosovo’s weak healthcare system.
Music played loudly through the square and people passing by read the banner (above) with the event’s motto: “Give Life: Give Blood.” Citizens donated blood, giving the gift of life to people in need.
Women also brought their family members. “Since my medical condition and age won’t allow me to donate blood, I brought my two sons with me today,” said Fatima Zatriqi, from North Mitrovica.” They can donate blood and help Kosovar Women.”
“I donate blood regularly and since this is a symbolic day for women, I am here to mark this day and help save someone’s life,” added Nexhat, one of Fatima’s sons.
Other people diverged from their everyday route through Mother Teresa Square, pausing to donate blood.
“I am a student, and I pass this way on my way back from university. I found out that people are donating blood and stopped to do the same,” said Iliriana Leci. “It won’t cost me anything, and this human gesture can save someone’s life.”

01.04.26

Activists Advocate that EU Accession Contributes to Furthering Gender Equality

31.03.26

Igballe Rogova Awarded Presidential Medal for Lifelong Commitment to Women’s Rights

31.03.26

People Call on EU to Invest in What Matters in New EU Budget

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26.03.26

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KWN members discuss ideas and share experiences towards womenâ€™s economic empowerment.

KWN Convenes Economic Empowerment Group

05.04.2013

KWN organized a workshop with its Economic Empowerment Working Group on 6 Mar. The workshop had two sessions: Economic
Empowerment of Women through Income Generation and the Rights of Women on Inheritance and Property.
The first session was attended by 21 representatives of 17 KWN member organizations. KWN member NGOs presented their work
towards women’s economic empowerment. Then Besa Shehu, KWN Administrative and Finance Manager, opened a discussion on steps
towards economically empowering women in Kosovo via income generation.
KWN presented the idea of supporting its members to pool their members’ handmade products for sale. Among the proposed steps included: collecting women’s handmade products for presentation; photographing products; and gathering information on inputs and timeframes required for production. Members also discussed the need to standardize products for export. They decided that products must be based on traditions, but also innovative and adapted to current market demands. Members agreed to produce a short documentary about women’s handmade products, assisted by Albulena Shabani, a mtvU Fulbright Fellow in Filmmaking.
The second Working Group on “Women’s Inheritance and Property Rights” involved seven KWN member organizations. In Kosovo, the traditional, patriarchal mentality and insufficient citizen knowledge obstruct the implementation of the Law on Inheritance and Property. Participants discussed the financial freedom and stability that this law can give women. Women’s economic empowerment also contributes to minimizing the likeliness that women might suffer violence.
During the workshop, KWN members generated ideas for implementing and enforcing this law. They proposed that KWN involve law students in monitoring judges to identify whether they are implementing the law. Members also discussed organizing awareness campaigns to educate the population about women’s and men’s legal rights.
KWN is currently seeking funds to undertake the initiatives recommended by members.

01.04.26

Activists Advocate that EU Accession Contributes to Furthering Gender Equality

31.03.26

Igballe Rogova Awarded Presidential Medal for Lifelong Commitment to Women’s Rights

31.03.26

People Call on EU to Invest in What Matters in New EU Budget

27.03.26

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26.03.26

KWN Honoured by NRAEWOK for Contribution to Advancing Gender Equality

26.03.26

Access Denied No More: Women in Skenderaj Advocate for Quality Gynecological Care

KWN members take part in an interactive three-day workshop in project proposal writing.

Members Attend Proposal Writing Workshop

05.04.2013

In response to members’ demands, KWN organized a second workshop on Project Proposal Writing in Prishtina on 28 Feb. through
2 Mar.
“I am really grateful to KWN for organizing such workshops. They help us a lot,” said Gjejrone Lokaj, from Women’s Initiative
Association in Dragash. “Even though Dragash is far from Prishtina, I feel very close with KWN staff as I know they’re always there to support us.”
The three-day interactive workshop gathered 52 participants from various KWN member NGOs. It covered problem analysis, objective
analysis, logical frameworks, monitoring and evaluation.
“This was a very good workshop,” said Gjyle Laçaj, from NGO Teuta in Prizren. “It is especially good for those of us who are writing a project proposal for the first time; it’s quite attractive and clear, so I can easily follow it.”
The Project Proposal Writing Workshop enabled KWN members to understand the tools and techniques of effective proposal writing. It used interactive sessions with small group exercises, based on the experiences of participants and their organizational interests to create project ideas.
“I find the work in groups very helpful,” said Fikrije Ferizi, from CSO “ATO” in Vushtrri. “I think I will be able to pass the information on to my colleagues.”
The workshop also offered KWN member organizations the opportunity to network with each other and to identify potential areas for future collaboration.
“Even though I have experience writing project proposals, I still come to these kinds of workshops in order to share experience with other NGOs,” said a member of Legjenda organization from Viti. “Also, different donors have different demands for project proposals and different trainers have their own ways of explaining.”
The workshop was organized as part of KWN’s Capacity Building Program. It was funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), as a follow-up to the initial workshop organized in December 2012.
The workshop has contributed substantially to women’s organizations’ ability to write project proposals. This was particularly obvious when comparing the project proposals submitted to the Kosovo Women’s Fund’s second grant round to those submitted in 2012.
KWN plans to host monthly capacity development opportunities for its members throughout 2013, based on their identified needs.

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

KWN Condemns the Physical Attack against Human Rights Activist Nazlie Bala

28.03.2013

This attack follows the threat made to Nazlie Bala’s life on March 20, 2013, which stated that if she protects “the shame,” a bullet “awaits” her. These threats and attacks have been a consequence of her appearance on RTK show “Në Kërkim” (“In Search”) last week, when Bala provided evidence related to rapes perpetrated against women during the war in Kosovo.

The attack against Nazlie Bala, a renowned women’s rights activist, is not only an attack against her, but an attack on all of our efforts to protect the dignity of women survivors of sexual violence during the war.

We inform the attackers that such threats and violence will never deter our efforts to further justice in our country and to restore the dignity of women survivors of violence.

We are all Nazlie Bala!

01.04.26

Activists Advocate that EU Accession Contributes to Furthering Gender Equality

31.03.26

Igballe Rogova Awarded Presidential Medal for Lifelong Commitment to Women’s Rights

31.03.26

People Call on EU to Invest in What Matters in New EU Budget

27.03.26

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26.03.26

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26.03.26

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KWN Condemns the Physical Attack against Human Rights Activist Nazlie Bala

27.03.2013

On Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at approximately 20:35, Human Rights Activist Nazlie Bala was physically attacked at the entrance to her apartment. She was then threatened: “Be aware that we will kill you.” The Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) condemns this attack, and we demand urgently an investigation by the Kosovo Police, as well as immediate protection for Nazlie Bala. This attack follows the threat made to Nazlie Bala’s life on March 20, 2013, which stated that if she protects “the shame,” a bullet “awaits” her. These threats and attacks have been a consequence of her appearance on RTK show “Në Kërkim” (“In Search”) last week, when Bala provided evidence related to rapes perpetrated against women during the war in Kosovo. The attack against Nazlie Bala, a renowned women’s rights activist, is not only an attack against her, but an attack on all of our efforts to protect the dignity of women survivors of sexual violence during the war. We inform the attackers that such threats and violence will never deter our efforts to further justice in our country and to restore the dignity of women survivors of violence. We are all Nazlie Bala!

28.03.25

Reaction of the Kosovo Women’s Network to the Recent Killings in Kosovo due to illegal weapons

08.11.24

Press Release – Recommendations for the Kosovo Parliament

05.11.24

Response to Klan Kosova – Do Not Promote the Perpetrators

04.11.24

Violence Against the Minor is Intolerable – KWN Calls for Justice and Immediate Action

17.10.24

Letter to the Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca

14.10.24

Reaction: KWN calls for an urgent solution to the strike of technical workers of the Assembly

KWN Condemns Threats Made against Human Rights Activist Nazlie Bala

21.03.2013

The Kosova Women’s Network expresses our deep concern regarding threats made against human rights activist Nazlie Bala. Yesterday, in the late afternoon, she received an anonymous letter, threatening her life. The letter was slipped under the door of her
apartment. It read: “Please do not protect the shame. Otherwise, we’ll kill you.”

The threat is directly related to her appearance on the Radio Television Kosova (RTK) show “Në kërkim” (“In Search”). On the program, she advocated for the proposed amendment to include persons who suffered sexual violence during the war in the existing law for all categories of victims of war.

The threat made against Nazlie Bala is a threat to all women and men who advocate for women’s rights as human rights; we have worked together and will continue to collaborate towards ensuring the protection of persons who suffered during the war.

On 8 March 2012, the Kosova Women’s Network entered the streets in protest with the slogan: “Forget flowers: We want justice for women and girls raped during the war.” Since then, many organizations, government officials and women’s rights activists have collaborated to encourage bringing this amendment to the Parliament of Kosovo. The proposed amendment to the law brings hope for women who have suffered for too long.

We wish to emphasize and inform the public that Nazlie Bala has been a prominent human rights activist since the 1990s. She began her voluntary commitment to human rights, working with the Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF). For 23 years
since then, she has continually supported and empowered women.

Whatever the motive of those who seek to undermine the proposed amendment, we inform them that their efforts shall not succeed. All caring citizens will support the proposed amendments to this law: the amendments will ensure rehabilitative care for persons hit hard by the war while defending their dignity.

01.04.26

Activists Advocate that EU Accession Contributes to Furthering Gender Equality

31.03.26

Igballe Rogova Awarded Presidential Medal for Lifelong Commitment to Women’s Rights

31.03.26

People Call on EU to Invest in What Matters in New EU Budget

27.03.26

Women’s History Month: Rachel Wareham Reflects on the Legacy of Motrat Qiriazi

26.03.26

KWN Honoured by NRAEWOK for Contribution to Advancing Gender Equality

26.03.26

Access Denied No More: Women in Skenderaj Advocate for Quality Gynecological Care

Give the Gift Life: Give Blood!

On March 8th, Give the Gift Life: Give Blood!

04.03.2013

This International Women’s Day, give women the best gift of all: life.
The Kosovo Women’s Network, supported by the National Center for Blood Transfusion, invites you to donate blood on March 8th at 12:00 in Mother Tereza Square in Prishtina.
Your donation will help improve women’s access to quality healthcare in Kosovo.

01.04.26

Activists Advocate that EU Accession Contributes to Furthering Gender Equality

31.03.26

Igballe Rogova Awarded Presidential Medal for Lifelong Commitment to Women’s Rights

31.03.26

People Call on EU to Invest in What Matters in New EU Budget

27.03.26

Women’s History Month: Rachel Wareham Reflects on the Legacy of Motrat Qiriazi

26.03.26

KWN Honoured by NRAEWOK for Contribution to Advancing Gender Equality

26.03.26

Access Denied No More: Women in Skenderaj Advocate for Quality Gynecological Care

Youth in Prishtina join the One Billion Rising global campaign to end violence against women and girls.

Kosovo Joins One Billion Rising

04.03.2013

On 14 Feb., Kosovo joined 207 countries,marking V-day in the largest global action to end violence against women and girlsin history.
To mark the 15th Anniversary of V-Day, organizers launched V-Day’s most ambitious campaign to date, One Billion Rising.

“One Billion” derives from the statistic that one in three women experience violence in their lifetimes, and thus more than one billion women around the world have been impacted by violence.

The 2013 worldwide V-Day campaign encouraged one billion women and the people who love them to “Walk out, Dance, Rise up and Demand” an end to violence.
“It is one of the most attractive campaigns I have seen so far,” said Fitore, a participant in Kosovo’s One Billion Rising Event,“and I think that it has had a great impact.”

Volunteers ages 15 to 17 organized Kosovo’s event. The organizing committeeinvolved members of media group Kosovo 2.0 and the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN). They created a One Billion Rising Kosovo Facebook page, and Kosovo 2.0 covered the event.AlbulenaShabani, an Albanian artist from Macedonia produced a promotional video. Two young organizers, Lindi and Andrea,performed a cover of Rita Ora’s song “Shine Ya Light” with a special shout out to One Billion Rising.

One Billion Rising Kosovo gathered men and women in Striking, Dancing and Rising at an outdoor street party on the platform of Pristina’s Youth Palace, DJ’d by OdaHaliti. Young and old joined the party, demonstrating their resistance to violence against women.
“Why don’t we have events like this more often?” A ten-year-old girl exclaimed. “Dancing in the streets is an excellent way to raise our voices about big issues like,” other participants agreed.

V-Day, held on Valentine’s Day, is a global activist movement that aims to end violence against women and girls. It involves different events aimed at increasing awareness, securing funds and supporting the work of anti-violence organizations. Through V-Day campaigns, volunteers and students have produced performances such as The Vagina Monologues; A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer; and other documentaries.

10.12.18

Media’s Role in Reporting Domestic Violence

12.02.14

ONE BILLION RISING

21.01.14

“Know Your Rights” Campaign Uses Culture to Education Citizens about Rights

04.03.13

Kosovo Joins One Billion Rising

04.03.13

Municipality of Dragash Establishes Mechanism against Domestic Violence

21.01.13

Citizens March, Condemning Domestic Violence

Municipality of Dragash Establishes Mechanism against Domestic Violence

04.03.2013

Civil society representatives, the local gender equality officer and police in the Municipality of Dragash knew they needed a mechanism for reporting domestic violence. Domestic violence exists within their municipality, but people hesitate to denounce it.

Due to Dragash’s high mountain location, far from opportunities for higher education, women there tend to have lower levels of education. This limits their economic and thus social freedom. They feel “controlled and managed” by the unwritten social rules that preside there, said women’s rights activist GjejraneLokaj from the Women’s Initiative Association, a KWN member organization. She and other civil society representatives, the gender equality officer and police decided to bring these issues to the attention of local and international institutions.

They found support from UN agencies, which piloted a project on gender-based violence in Dragash. The UNDP-supported Municipal Coordinator against Domestic Violence organized regular meetings among civil society, international organizations, police, judicial institutions, municipal directors of different departments, decision making bodies and other actors dealing with this issue. These meetings resulted in the establishment of a Mechanism against Domestic Violence, involving the aforementioned actors. The mechanism has elected its leadership, and is creating its own official documents, which will make the mechanism official and enable it to continue its work on a legal basis.

Potential victims of domestic violence can contact the Mechanism’s members. “Our names are public and we are close to citizens, in order to make reporting violence easier,” Gjejrane said, as one of the mechanism’s founders. “One of our mottos is: it’s not a shame to be a victim of violence; it’s a shame to be a perpetrator, so please denounce violence.”

In November-December 2012, the Mechanism’s members carried out an awareness-raising campaign against domestic violence, targeting students from 6th grade to high school, school directors and women’s groups. They have since seen shifts within their society.
“The motivation and will to end violence was extensive,” Gjejrane said. “Reporting of domestic violence has increased, as has the awareness of potential victims and of people who assist potential victims. This topic is no longer taboo. People no longer have prejudices, and they often have concrete ideas on how to prevent it.”

The Mechanism’s members also have advocated successfully for a comfortable interview room at the municipality’s police station, as well as a room with toys for children for when they meet parents who do not possess child custody.

In the future, they plan to address gender-based psychological violence, particularly in the workplace; advocate for more women to join the police force in Dragash municipality (the only police women travels daily and thus is not always available to respond to violence); and contribute to creating a police database for recording cases of violence in the municipality.

10.12.18

Media’s Role in Reporting Domestic Violence

12.02.14

ONE BILLION RISING

21.01.14

“Know Your Rights” Campaign Uses Culture to Education Citizens about Rights

04.03.13

Kosovo Joins One Billion Rising

04.03.13

Municipality of Dragash Establishes Mechanism against Domestic Violence

21.01.13

Citizens March, Condemning Domestic Violence

Kosovo Women’s Fund Grants Available

04.03.2013

On 15 Feb. 2013, KWNannounced the opening of the Kosovo Women’s Fund’s second grant round. KWN has invited its member organizations to submit applications that will contribute to realizing the Strategic Goals identified by KWN members in the KWN Strategic Plan for 2012-2014.

This grant round has received funding fromthe Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with additional support from Kvinna till Kvinna (KtK).

The deadline for submitting applications is 15 Mar. 2013. KWN will announce grant recipients by 15 Apr. 2013.The maximum grant award possible is €3,000, and KWN expects to provide up to €20,000 in grants this round. The duration of projects should not exceed six months.

Funding decisions will be made by the Kosovo Women’s Fund Grant Review Committee, elected by KWN members.KWN will accept applications in Albanian and Serbian languages.

For more information, visit the KWN website at: http://www.womensnetwork.org/?FaqeID=33. KWN staff are available to provide further information to members as needed; appointments can be made by contacting info@womensnetwork.org or calling KWN at 038 245 850.

08.04.14