Pink October – A Month of Hope

“Stronger than fear! ‘Early detection – survival”. These were some of the slogans of Pink October, the breast cancer awareness month. This year’s campaign was launched by Race for the Cure as a breast cancer awareness campaign to support breast cancer survivors and those battling breast cancer. Throughout the month, the support of various institutions and organizations in the country continued.

The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, organized the traditional “Early Detection – Survival” walk on October 14 in front of the Kosovo Assembly building. This event, dedicated to “Early Detection – Survival,” was held under the patronage of the Presidency and with the initiative of the Kosovar Center for Breast Cancer Control, known as “Jeta-Vita.”

“It’s a color of hope, strength, and unity—a month that serves to raise everyone’s awareness of the dangers of breast cancer. A month that reminds us that when we come together, we can overcome anything. Today, the march brought us together, and we will stand by each other throughout the year. The best defense is early detection. Get tested today and encourage other women too. October is breast cancer awareness month. This is how change begins.”

These were the messages conveyed by the institution of the Presidency to women and girls.

Meanwhile, the member organization of the Kosovo Women’s Network, ‘Have Hope,’ with the motto “Stronger than fear,” gathered women and girls in “Mother Teresa” Square in Pristina to raise awareness in the battle against breast cancer.

Dressed in pink, all the participants released balloons in honor of the women who fought and survived the disease of breast cancer, and who taught us how to fight and not give up.

We also remember all the women who fought the battle against breast cancer but lost, as well as their family members who endured the pain and showed us how to turn it into motivation to live.

Within the breast cancer awareness month, and to spread the message about the risk of breast cancer, as well as to raise funds for women affected by breast cancer, the third edition of the “Shliroj Cicat” festival was organized by Creative Information, Care, and Activism for Tomorrow. This edition, featuring a three-day program from October 13-15, included various activities such as bra collection, screenings of documentaries, painting and mascots, discussion panels, and artistic performances.

Additionally, the National Institute of Public Health, as part of the breast cancer awareness month, provided information to citizens in written form about breast cancer to raise awareness in the battle against this disease.

The SDK Organization Holds Training for Women’s Empowerment in Business

The member organization of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Sundimi i Demokracisë në Kosovë (SDK) within the framework of ongoing commitments to strengthen gender mechanisms in the municipality of Podujeva, has held a three-day training for the empowerment of women in business.The SDK Organization Holds Training for Women’s Empowerment in Business

The training was focused on women engaged in economic activities from various sectors such as agribusiness, handicrafts, traditional foods, and also included those who planned to engage in economic activities.

The purpose of the training was to professionally train women in business administration and support the promotion of their products/services. Specifically, the participating women gained knowledge in preparing a business plan, business management, and a portion of the training was dedicated to advocacy practices for affirmative policies at the local level for women entrepreneurs and building networks for businesswomen.

Besnik Muçaj, an expert in governance and local economic development, stated that these trainings help to better understand the context of women’s challenges in conducting business. They also address systemic issues in municipal policies and financing, as well as the friendliness of local affirmative policies towards women’s businesses.

“The problems of women in business in the municipality of Podujeva are not limited to the very fact of their work as businesses, but are closely related to other limitations such as the burden of caring for the family, property, access to funds, and access to the market and sales. Therefore, we are making efforts to address some issues starting from self-organization to address issues in municipal policies to build common management structures and connect women’s businesses and find markets for them,” he said.

The challenges faced by women in business in the municipality of Podujeva are not limited to the nature of their work as entrepreneurs but are closely related to other constraints, including family responsibilities, property ownership, access to funding, and entry into the market and sales. Therefore, we are making efforts to address these issues, starting from self-organization to tackling problems in municipal policies, establishing collaborative management structures, connecting women’s businesses, and identifying markets for their products,” he said.

Nazife Gashi, a participant in the training who works with traditional foods such as the preparation of baklava, said that despite all the difficulties, a job that, as she says, she loves with her soul, succeeds.

“The work you love, you have a passion for, although it is difficult, I think you can do it. Regarding help from the municipality, I have never received help or any financial push. I started with my own funds and it cost me thousands of euros, but I succeeded. I think that as a woman it is difficult to do business, but I succeeded, although I do everything myself.

She says that the lack of workers is making work even more difficult, as young people are fleeing the country.

“I used to have two drivers who distributed the food; they even went abroad. Now I prepare and distribute the food they order themselves, which is not easy,” she said.

The SDK’s activity was made possible through the grant received in the 18th round of the Kosovo Women’s Fund for core support, financed by the Sigrid Rausing Foundation.

Gender Budget Watchdog Network Hosts International Forum “Going Glocal”  

The Gender Budget Watchdog Network (GBWN), consisting of more than 100 civil society organizations in the Western Balkans and Moldova, hosted “Going Glocal” an international Forum on gender responsive budgeting (GRB) in Skopje, North Macedonia on 19-20 Oct.

The Forum aimed to connect global expertise and local experiences using GRB, bringing together diverse activists, academics and officials to discuss best practices, lessons learned and methodological ideas.

Nicole Farnsworth, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) Program Director and Lead Researcher, presented initial findings from a working paper titled “Delving into the Details: Gender Responsive Budgeting: Delivering on Gender Equality Commitments in Multilaterals’ External Financing.”

This draft paper was discussed by experts from the region and around the world during the Forum, towards identifying ways to improve multilateral funders’ use of GRB in their own work and thus improve tracking of international funding towards gender equality. Participants also discussed ideas for improving gender markers. The paper will be finalized based on participants’ input.

Methodologies related to climate change financing from a gender perspective also were discussed.

Among the Forum conclusions were that we all need to work together to:

1. Build a larger global coalition to change the  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) gender marker to better track spending towards gender equality;

2. Advocate together with the European Women’s Lobby to the EU to make gender budgeting obligatory in the next Multiannual Financial Framework, to set clearer targets linked to financing in the next Instrument for Pre-Accession and Gender Action Plan IV, and to improve internal financial management systems to better tie outputs and impacts to actual expenditures;

3. Establish a coalition together with United Nations (UN) agencies to advocate for further improving GRB in UN agencies’ systems as part of the upcoming 2024 Commission on the Status of Women on financing for gender equality;

4. Provide recommendations to inform the World Bank’s new Gender Strategy so that it includes institutionalizing gender budgeting in all of the work of the Bank; and

5. Collaborate to influence climate change financing from a gender perspective.

Panelists agreed that continuing to build coalitions and expanding the network are crucial for future actions.

Vesa Rezniqi Pallaska from UNDP Kosovo was part of the last panel that explored both gender participation and the integration of gender perspectives in resilience measures and budgeting within the Central European Initiative (CEI) region.


KWN’s member organizations Mitrovica Women Associaton for Human Rights, EkoKosWomen, Kosovo Women’s Initiative, and the Youth Association for Human Rights participated in the event as GBWN members.

This initiative was organized by GBWN with support from Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). It was also supported as part of an EU-funded Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) project focused on shaping policies and budgets to address the needs of women and men, especially during times of crisis.

Difficult Access to Health Services in the Municipality of Rahovec

The member organization of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Gruaja Fermere organized an advocacy meeting to address the issue of improving women’s access to quality healthcare. During the meeting, concerns were raised regarding healthcare challenges, particularly for women and girls residing in rural areas, where accessing quality healthcare services remains a significant challenge.

Muradije Shehu, project coordinator, emphasized the scarcity of knowledge about healthcare among women and girls, highlighting that they are often unaware of essential healthcare information. According to a survey, it was revealed that many of them are unfamiliar even with the emergency contact number.

“The villages around Rahovec have limited access to information. As a result, it has been recommended to convene a meeting with the leaders of all villages to enhance healthcare awareness and services for women and girls. This recommendation was put forth by the participants at the meeting and is expected to improve access to services by addressing the specific needs of each village,” she said.

Meanwhile, Servete Kastrati, a resident of the village of Zatriq, pointed out the challenges they face in their village, emphasizing the absence of a Family Medicine Center and the resulting difficulties in accessing healthcare services.

“We have to travel to Rahovec for healthcare services, and transportation is also scarce. People with various medical conditions have to rely on individuals with vehicles to get them to Rahovec for medical care. The situation is quite dire. People in our village lack information, and even small-scale training sessions could have been instrumental in making them aware of their rights, which are currently poorly understood,” she explained.

Meanwhile, another participant, Fiknete Kasapi Iska, a lawyer by profession and a resident of Rahovec, expressed concerns about the persistent issue of limited access to gynecological health services.

“Access to gynecological health services has been a longstanding problem. This is why many girls avoid regular check-ups, which, in my opinion, is worrisome. Despite occasional reminders about the legal and human right to receive these services, there is still prejudice among the healthcare staff, causing hesitation among the girls to undergo these essential check-ups for their health,” she noted.

Elbunit Kryeziu, the Director of the Main Center of Family Medicine in Rahovec, stated that there are sufficient healthcare staff and services available. However, during the discussion, he recognized a lack of information in the surrounding villages regarding access to healthcare services.

“Projects that focus on informing people about access to healthcare services are essential. They help women and girls understand their legal rights to access healthcare services, as well as the range of services we offer. It’s important to note that Rahovec doesn’t have a hospital; we provide primary healthcare services, and cases that require further treatment are referred to the Gjakova hospital. There is a substantial need for information, as some services, like CT scans or specialized internal medicine, surgery, and more, are beyond our scope due to legal restrictions,” he added.

Habibe Haxhimustafa, the director of the organization “Gruaja Fermere,” highlighted the scarcity of information among women and girls regarding access to healthcare services, despite their significant interest.

“This has become evident through the training sessions we have conducted. There has been a strong demand for providing information in more villages through lectures on how to access healthcare. We have educated them on how to assert their rights as guaranteed by law. Thanks to these training sessions, they have written to the mayor of the municipality of Rahovec, requesting the construction of an ambulance facility in the village of Zatriq, as there is no Family Medicine Center there,” she shared during the meeting held as part of the “Promotion of healthcare” project primarily aimed at women in rural areas.

Gruaja Fermere conducted this activity as a beneficiary of the 18th round of the Kosovo Women’s Fund, supported by the KWN’s Further Advancing Women’s Rights in Kosovo II,” financed by the Austrian Agency for Development (ADA) and co-financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

KWN Staff Holds Environmental Protection Training

The Kosovo Women’s Network staff conducted workshops on environmental protection and addressing climate change during their daily tasks. During working group activities, KWN staff generated various ideas for initiating environmentally friendly practices in their daily operations, with the aim of sharing this knowledge with KWN member organizations.

The staff came up with numerous practical and easily achievable ideas for environmental protection, which included decisions to reduce paper usage, avoid disposable bowls and plastic bags, and conserve electricity and water. KWN intends to disseminate the knowledge acquired in the training to its 140 member organizations, promoting environmentally responsible practices in everyday life.

Participants unanimously agreed to actively implement these initiatives, recognizing the importance of taking small steps towards a greener future. This training was made possible with the support of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency(Sida).

KWN and Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers Discuss Gender-Responsive Budgeting

On Monday, 23 October, the Executive Director of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Igballe Rogova, met with the Deputy Minister of Finance, Labor, and Transfers, Agon Dobruna, along with the Secretary General of the Ministry, Enis Spahiu.

During this meeting, they discussed KWN’s recommendations for institutionalizing gender-responsive budgeting, which had been previously submitted to the Ministry and other relevant institutions.

Additionally, specific recommendations for Kosovo’s 2024 budget were on the agenda, with the goal of advancing gender equality.

KWN expects that through their cooperation with the Ministry, they will address a variety of issues, with a specific focus on promoting gender equality in Kosovo.

The KWN and Institute GAP’s Policy Brief with recommendations for institutionalising gender-responsive budgeting in Kosovo in accordance with the Law on Gender Equality and with specific recommendations for the 2024 Kosovo Budget, which will contribute to furthering gender equality, can be found here.

British MP Alicia Kearns visits KWN

The British Parliament Member Alicia Kearns, visited Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) offices on Saturday, 21 October.

The executive director of KWN Igballe Rogova, together with representatives from organizations dedicated to the protection of women’s rights, discussed various topics, with a particular emphasis on advancing the policy framework known as “Women, Peace, and Security.”

The Ambassador of Kosovo to the United Kingdom, Ilir Kapiti, accompanied MP Kearns during her visit to the KWN. The meeting was attended by Zana Hoxha from Artpolis, Feride Rushiti from the Kosovo Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims (KRCT), Luljeta Demolli from the Kosovo Gender Studies Center (KGSC), Xhulieta Devolli from the Network of Woma, Ashkali and Egyptian Women’s Organizations (RrOGRAEK), and activist Jeta Krasniqi.

This collaborative effort highlights the importance of international partnerships in promoting gender equality and women’s rights.

Canada’s Ambassador to Croatia visited KWN’s offices

Ambassador of the Canadian Embassy in Croatia, Jessica Blitt, Officer for Political Relations, Public Relations, and Media at the Embassy of Canada in Croatia, Ida Mahecic Bajovic, and Project Coordinator at the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), Vlera Rexha, visited the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN)’s office on 20 October.

During the meeting, the Executive Director, Igballe Rogova, informed the representatives of the Canadian Embassy about the work of the Kosovo Women’s Network. Adelina Berisha, the Program Manager, spoke about activities related to addressing gender-based violence, particularly the project being implemented with CFLI’s support to enhance the capacities of local coordinating mechanisms against gender-based violence, specifically addressing sexual violence.

Ambassador Blitt emphasized the importance of KWN’s work and expressed her anticipation for collaborations and other initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality.

“Canada is proud to support our CFLI partner, KWN. Ambassador Blitt was very interested to hear about the progress of the funded project aimed at improving the institutional treatment of Gender-Based Violence cases through advocacy and capacity building,” tweeted the Canada’s Embassy in Croatia.

KWN Completes Training Cycle on State Protocol for Handling Cases of Sexual Violence

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), in cooperation with the Center for the Protection of Women and Children in Pristina, the Center for the Inclusion of Women in Novobërda, the Center for the Protection of Women and Children “My Home” in Ferizaj, and the Center for the Welfare of Women in Peja, conducted a series of training sessions on the Protocol for Handling Cases of Sexual Violence. These training sessions took place during the months of September and October and involved collaboration with the Coordinating Mechanism Against Domestic Violence and local institutions in the municipalities of Novobërda, Kaçanik, Obiliq, Lipjan, Podujeva, and Deçan.

The purpose of these training sessions is to educate local institutions about their responsibilities regarding the management of cases of sexual violence and the necessary steps to be taken in such cases. Besarta Breznica, the official of the Program for Addressing Gender-Based Violence at KWN, noted that the training cycle for the State Protocol for handling cases of sexual violence has been highly effective, judging by the significant number of participants who have benefited from these sessions.

Meanwhile, Monika Kocaqi, the trainer, stated that the training sessions on the State Protocol for the Treatment of Cases of Sexual Violence in Kosovo, conducted in six municipalities of the country, successfully familiarized the participants with the existence and content of this essential state document, which is mandatory for implementation. She also emphasized a set of pressing needs that require immediate attention.

“First and foremost, there is an urgent need to conduct comprehensive training sessions with each group of professionals from the institutions responsible for implementing the Protocol, including members of the Coordination Mechanisms against Domestic Violence. These training sessions should focus on a detailed examination of this type of violence, its root causes and consequences, the appropriate approach to managing cases based on their specific characteristics, working in a coordinated fashion, and fulfilling the legal and institutional obligations outlined in the Protocol,” said Kocaqi.

According to Mrs. Kocaqi, the training programs should be standardized, with established and accredited modules, and should be ongoing, organized at various levels tailored to the preliminary assessment of each group of professionals’ needs. Furthermore, there was a clear and pressing requirement for immediate intervention to enhance institutional capacities through the allocation of human, financial, and infrastructural resources.

Meanwhile, Drita Cakiqi, a defender of the victims and one of the participants in the training, emphasized, “The State Protocol training is highly essential. This is a new document, and institutions require training.”

“Moreover, during these training sessions, we address specific cases of sexual violence, which greatly aids our work with victims,” she mentioned. It is worth noting that the State Protocol for the Treatment of Cases of Sexual Violence was officially introduced on December 5, 2022, through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Justice and the Institute of Forensic Medicine.

This initiative has received support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

Parashqevi Qiriazi, the “Morning Star” of Women’s Emancipation

Few women have accomplished what Parashqevi Qiriazi undertook and achieved in her lifetime. Born on June 2, 1880, in Manastir, she devoted her life to the Albanian language’s alphabet and to learning the written Albanian language. She later became one of the central figures of the Albanian Enlightenment during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Following in the footsteps of her sister, Sevasti Qiriazi, Parashqevi continued her studies at the Istanbul college for girls, “Robert College,” focusing on literature, where she distinguished herself through her student activities. Subsequently, she became a teacher and, just a few months later, assumed the role of the head of the Albanian Girls’ School in Korçë, Albania.

As pioneers in the emancipation of Albanian women and girls, the Qiriazi sisters hold an esteemed position in the history of Albanian education and culture. They are particularly remarkable for establishing their girls’ school during a challenging period when the country faced significant backwardness, and women were oppressed, marginalized, and kept in ignorance and obscurity.

Parashqevi embraced the view and mission of Gjerasim Qiriazi, believing that only through education could the soul of a nation emerging from darkness be transformed and liberated. She understood that a nation would experience swifter progress during its renaissance if women and girls, as the core of the family, were educated. Parashqevi dedicated herself to the education of Albanian girls, striving for their upliftment and cultural enlightenment. She achieved this through her involvement with the “Morning Star” association and her contributions to the press of her time, as explained by the researcher of her life and work, Teuta Toska.

In 1908, Parashqevi served as the envoy of the Girls’ School at the significant Congress of Manastir, where she was appointed as the secretary of the eleven delegates tasked with addressing the issue of the Albanian alphabet. Subsequently, in 1909, she authored the Primer using the new Albanian alphabet and also composed the Albanian alphabet anthem. Parashqevi, alongside her sister, is renowned for her contributions to the emancipation of Albanian women and for her pivotal role in establishing the first women’s association, “Morning Star,” in the city of Korça in 1912.

In 1913, she successfully earned her master’s degree in education from Oberlin College in Ohio. Her master’s thesis was dedicated to designing a national education system for the recently liberated Albania. Parashqevi’s significant contributions to the emancipation of Albanian girls and women led UNESCO, on the 50th anniversary of her passing, to draw comparisons with prominent international figures. They noted, “Her pioneering role in the education and emancipation of women in the Ottoman Empire can only be compared with the achievements of Marianne Hainisch in Austria, Annestine Beyer in Denmark, or Maria Montessori in Italy.”

Parashqevi and Sevastia also made contributions to the periodical “Shqiptarja,” published by the organization “Gruaja Shqiptare”, which operated between 1928 and 1939. The magazine was known for featuring “provocative” articles aimed at challenging conservative ideologies that opposed the women’s movement and its demands.

In 1914, due to the Greek occupation of Korçë during World War I, Parashqevi, together with her sister, left Albania for Romania and later traveled to the United States, where she became a prominent figure in the Albanian-American community. She returned to Albania in 1921.

Parashqevi remained a steadfast anti-fascist during World War II, starting with the Italian invasion in 1939. Her anti-fascist stance led to her and her sister’s imprisonment and exile to the Anhalteleger Dedinje camp near Belgrade by pro-Nazi units. She survived and returned to Tirana after the war. Unfortunately, further persecution followed her and her sister’s family, this time from the communist regime, due to her brother-in-law Kristo Dako’s pro-monarchy stance.