Kosovo Women's Network

Për 11 muaj OJQ “Raba Voca” ndërgjegjësoi qindra persona për dhunën ndaj grave

03.04.2023

Qendra për Mbrojtjen e Gruas dhe Fëmijës “Raba Voca” që nga prilli i 2022-tës e deri në shkurt të 2023-tës ka ndërgjegjësuar qindra persona për dhunën ndaj grave.

Kjo Qendër si përfituese e grantit nga raundi i 17-të i Rrjetit të Grave të Kosovës (RRGK) në kuadër të projektit “Rritja e ndërgjegjësimit kundër dhunës ndaj grave” ka mundësuar që gratë dhe vajzat të kenë qasje dhe informacion rreth mekanizmave ligjorë shtetërorë nëpërmjet tele-këshillimit, si dhe të ndikojë në përmirësimin e zbatimit të kuadrit ligjor për dhunën në familje, duke përfshirë përgjegjësinë institucionale për të ndihmuar personat që kanë pësuar dhunë.

Kësisoj, gjithsej 106 gra dhe vajza kanë pasur qasje në një sërë shërbimesh online dhe fizike në strehimore, ndërsa 50 të tjera janë referuar në mënyrë efektive në institucionet përkatëse, duke përfshirë Qendrat për Punë Sociale në dhe komunat e Mitrovicës, Vushtrrisë dhe Skenderajt.

Për më tepër, pas përpjekjeve të synuara të avokimit, tri gra kanë siguruar me sukses mbështetjen e strehimit social nga Departamenti i Mirëqenies Sociale në rajonin e Mitrovicës, Vushtrrisë dhe Skenderajt.

këto arritje reflektojnë një përmirësim të dukshëm në ndërgjegjësimin dhe llogaridhënien institucionale në trajtimin e dhunës me bazë gjinore. Ky transformim është realizuar nëpërmjet shpërndarjes së përmbledhjeve të politikave tek entet kyçe si policia, QPS-ja dhe zyrat bashkiake.

Ky projekt përkrahet nga Fondi i Grave të Kosovës me mbështetjen e Zyrës së Bashkimit Evropian në Kosovë përmes nismës së RrGK-së “Ngritja e kapaciteteve dhe qëndrueshmërisë së OShC-ve: Avancimi i barazisë gjinore në mes të pandemisë COVID-19”.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

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13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

12.02.26

KWN Congratulates New Government, Calls for Urgent Gender Equality Reforms

KWN and Ministry of Justice Strengthen Their Cooperation

31.03.2023

On Friday, March 31^st, Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu and Political Advisor Nazlije Bala visited the offices of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN).

During their meeting with the Program Director and Lead Research Nicole Farnsworth, the Manager of the Gender-Based Violence Addressing Program, Adelina Berisha and the Officer of the Program, Besarta Breznica, they discussed the importance of continuous cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and KWN, particularly regarding the fight against gender-based violence, as well as possibilities for future cooperation.

“We appreciate today’s reception and the continued cooperation. This cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and the Kosovo Women’s Network should be further strengthened and we should consider cooperating on things that we should address together in the future. We thank you for your continued cooperation”, Minister Haxhiu said.

KWN is committed to improving legislation related to gender-based violence and to ensure gender responsive budgeting, in cooperation with institutions. This commitment demonstrates KWN’s dedication to promoting gender justice and building an equal and just society.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

12.02.26

KWN Congratulates New Government, Calls for Urgent Gender Equality Reforms

UP Students Informed About the KWN’s Gender-Based Violence Addressing Program

31.03.2023

On Friday, March 31^st, Besarta Breznica, Gender-Based Violence Program Officer at the Kosovo Women’s Network, delivered a lecture to the students of the Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Social Work, at the University of Prishtina. During the lecture on “Gender-based violence in Kosovo”, Breznica presented KWN’s efforts in addressing gender-based violence, contribution to the amendment of numerous laws, and research and monitoring in this field.

Specifically, she explained to the students the legislation of Kosovo related to the protection of gender-based violence cases.

Responding to the interest of the students about the procedures that must be followed from reporting a case of violence up to the solving of the problem, Breznica also highlighted practical cases addressed by the institutions of Kosovo.

In this context, she did not leave without mentioning the sensitive gender approach.

One aspect that generated interest among the students was need for social workers who provide services to care for themselves, in order to avoid “occupational burnout” or as it is otherwise known, “professional burnout”.

Since last year, KWN has provided continuous trainings to workers of Shelter Centers in the regions of Kosovo, providing them with information on how to avoid aggravated emotional, physical and mental condition caused by excessive and prolonged stress at workplace.

KWN continuously treats and helps victims of domestic and gender-based violence.

KWN remains open to cooperation and assistance for gender-based violence victims through free legal counseling and referral to relevant institutions. If you need free legal assistance for gender-based violence cases, or know someone who does, contact us at: 038 245 850.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

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25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

12.02.26

KWN Congratulates New Government, Calls for Urgent Gender Equality Reforms

KWN Holds Meetings with Its Partners to Coordinate the Institutionalization of Gender-Responsive Budgeting

30.03.2023

The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) has worked intensively towards coordinating with various relevant actors to promote gender equality and women’s rights in Kosovo. During February and March, KWN met with local and international partners to present the key pillars of KWN’s four-year new strategy, as well as to discuss partners’ progress and future plans in promoting gender-responsive budgeting in Kosovo.

KWN had the honor to talk with representatives of the Agency for Gender Equality in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environment in Kosovo, the European Union in Kosovo, the Embassy of the United States in Kosovo, the GAP Institute, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), UN Women in Kosovo, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Kosovo.

The discussions were focused on responsible budgeting in Kosovo, important legal reforms, consultation with civil society, and opportunities for further institutionalization of responsible budgeting in the country.

More specifically, KWN discussed the importance of gender-responsive budgeting in relation to climate change, environmental protection, and the need for research in the country. KWN is taking steps to start research in Kosovo, in cooperation with relevant actors, using a methodology that is being developed this year with KWN’s partners in the Gender Budget Watchdog Network (GBRW). This initiative is part of a joint action supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Swedish International Cooperation and Development Agency (Sida).

KWN expresses its commitment to continuous dialogue and cooperation with relevant actors and partners to create a more inclusive and fairer society for all. Stakeholders and partners highly appreciated the efforts and dedication of the KWN for gender equality in Kosovo, expressing their readiness for coordination and continuous cooperation on the promotion of responsible gender budgeting, the field of the environment, as well as the promotion of gender equality in Kosovo.

KWN is happy to have the support of these relevant actors and will continue the coordination meetings working for further cooperation to ensure that women’s rights are protected and gender equality is achieved in Kosovo.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

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13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

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Drita Vukshinaj – A Powerful Voice for Women and Persons with Disabilities

28.03.2023

“My father said ‘No, I don’t want my daughter to undergo surgery, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to her just because of the leg operation. However, I insisted, I was convinced that I had to stay in Belgrade, at the hospital, and have my leg operated on, four times in a row. That is exactly what happened, of course, with my insistence. I stayed alone in the hospital for 1 year and succeeded.

  These were the words of Drita Vukshinaj, and everything had happened after many struggles that she had encountered in a patriarchal mentality that did not allow her to treat her leg. She had fallen from a tree at the age of six. The injury and leg problems plagued her throughout her life. Initially, doctors in Kosovo had told her that the leg needed to be amputated.

Nevertheless, Drita Vukshinaj, at the age of 10, as a strong and spirited girl activist, took the initiative to undergo surgery in Belgrade, although her father opposed it, while her mother, who had supported her at that age, had left her on her own as she had passed away.

Moreover, today, on Tuesday, we will remember Drita, an indefatigable woman, a long-standing activist for women’s and human rights, who became a powerful voice particularly for people with disabilities. She set herself the goal of empowering and advancing the rights of people with disabilities and succeeded. All this came about because Drita herself had a disability. The challenges she faced pushed her to devote her life to fighting for the rights of other women with disabilities.

People with disabilities were excluded from society, but particularly in the period from 1989 to 2000, during which Drita never stopped organizing a series of activities, including courses against illiteracy, sewing courses, and many other activities, always carrying them out voluntarily. She was part of the team for registering people with disabilities in 78 villages in Prizren, a city where she also came from. This happened when Drita realized that there was an association called “Hendikos” that dealt with protection of PWDs’ rights.

Drita was always there for people with disabilities. She made door-to-door visits to women with disabilities who had been confined to their neighborhoods for their entire lives and enabled them to see Kosovo.

“I remember the year 2000 when I had a one-day trip all over Kosovo. I met a woman in her 50s and when we arrived in Prizren, after we had visited Pristina, Peja, Deçan, Prekaz and finally arrived in Prizren, her words were: ‘Even if I die now, I don’t want anything else, because I have never seen anything in my life except my neighborhood.”

In the course of her ongoing activism, Drita a woman who was tireless in her efforts felt that the voice of women with disabilities was not being heard enough. Thus, in 2012, she founded the organization “Shpresa dhe Ndërtesa”, a non-governmental organization that helped people with disabilities to integrate into society.

She has also been involved in initiatives aimed at promoting interethnic dialogue and reconciliation in the Balkans, through her work with the Balkan Network for Local Democracy and the European Women’s Lobby.

As recognition for her contributions to promoting human rights and social justice, Vukshinaj has received many awards and honors, including the US International Women of Courage Award in 2019. Drita Vukshinaj was known for her work in promoting human rights, women’s rights and social justice not only in Kosovo but also in the Balkan region.

Through her organization, she was a member of the Kosovo Women’s Network, and the KWN staff had the honor and pleasure of having a member like Drita Vukshinaj.

She enabled many women with disabilities to engage in activism through the Network. Those who knew Drita will always remember her as a courageous and determined woman who worked tirelessly to create space and opportunities for other women for their rights, including her own.

Drita Vukshinaj was born on March 10, 1954 and passed away on March 9, 2016 in Prizren, her hometown.

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13.02.26

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Elisabeth Kaestli, Swiss Women’s Rights Activist, Marks 25th Anniversary with Kosovo

25.03.2023

She came to Kosovo 25 years ago, and since then, Kosovo has occupied a special place in her heart. Elisabeth Kaestli, author, and women’s rights activist, is a powerful woman who, through her pen, brought stories that focus on women, the importance of advancing their rights, and the great role that a powerful woman plays in society.

She is visiting Kosovo these days to mark the 25th anniversary of her arrival in Kosovo, together with the women activists she met in 1998, but also with other friends she has made during the different periods in which she has stayed in Kosovo.

“For the first time, I came to Kosovo in November 1998 when I was working as a journalist for a Swiss press office specialised in dealing with refugees. At that time, I had been in Bosnia, Croatia, and then came to Kosovo. The war had just begun here. It was very impressive for me to be in such a situation. I was traveling in Kosovo with the convoy (of the Humanitarian Association) “Mother Teresa”, and at that time, I met Igballe [Igo] Rogova, Latife Neziri, and other women who helped refugees.”

In addition to the aggravated situation due to the war, Elisabeth was also interested in the lives of women in Kosovo, particularly those whose husbands, fathers and brothers were in exile and who themselves took care of supporting the family.

“I realised that there are many women in Kosovo whose husbands worked in Switzerland. I wanted to analyse the lives of these women,” explained the former journalist, who decided to write the book Women in Kosovo.”

As we spoke about her experiences and efforts to advance the rights of women and girls in Switzerland and Kosovo, she told an interesting story.

“In 1998, I met a Swiss colleague in Kosovo, who told me “this patriarchy in Kosovo will never change”. I told him it will change even faster than in Switzerland. And indeed, [it] was proven, and he was wrong. I understood that the fight for women’’s rights in Kosovo was the same as what we had done in Switzerland when I was young. But, I think that the rights were achieved here faster than there,” said Elisabeth.

In her accounts of her time spent in Kosovo decades ago, Elisabeth recalled the first visit she made to Has region of Kosovo together with the Association for Women and Girls’ Education “Motrat Qiriazi”.

“I remember when I came for the first time after the war in 1999, a women’’s center was opened in the region of Has. I went there with Igo, and we saw that the hillside was full not only of women but also of men. We in Switzerland had not invited men. It seemed funny to me, but Igo told me, ‘’If the men support us, then we will work freely with the women’.’ I realised that this was a very wise step and a very good strategy,” she said.

While we were drinking coffee in one of Pristina, the capital’’s, restaurants, I asked her if the red clothes she was wearing were related to the Kosovo Women’’s Network (KWN) campaign, to wear red shoes, or something red, every Tuesday to show solidarity among women and girls.

“Yes, exactly. Yesterday I was at KWN and found out about this initiative; that’’s why I wore red because I think that solidarity among women is very important. We should support each other, not criticize, because in this way, we strengthen the role of women in society. If we don’t support each other, men won’t either. So, we have to start,” said Elisabeth, who was among the first people to become an individual supporter of KWN. Moreover, she has promoted KWN widely and raised funds for KWN’s work.

Elisabeth also has written other books about Kosovo: “Seven brothers, seven sisters – a Kosovar family around the world” and “Ditches and Bridges: Friendships in the Balkans Before and After the Wars – Sixteen Portraits.” She wrote the latter after hearing a moving story about two friends of two different ethnicities. When the war broke out, they were forced to take different sides, becoming sworn enemies. However, years later, when the conflict was over, one of their mutual friends suggested they meet again. They hesitated at first, but in the end, they agreed. When they met, they realised they had more in common than they thought and rekindled their friendship.

Elisabeth heard countless stories like this and realised that the reality of life is much more complex than the black and white model often portrayed in the media. Through her storytelling, Elisabeth was able to connect people across ethnic lines and bring them together. She showed that despite conflicts and disagreements, there is still hope for peace and reconciliation.

KWN expresses our deep gratitude for Elisabeth Kaestli’s many years of support to women in Kosovo, and to KWN.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

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25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

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13.02.26

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12.02.26

KWN Congratulates New Government, Calls for Urgent Gender Equality Reforms

NGO Vita Jeta Informed Over 700 People About Health Care and Diabetes Prevention

24.03.2023

“Between April 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023, over 700 individuals became aware of their health conditions and women’s rights to healthcare, thanks to the initiative of Vita-Jeta, a member organization of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN). The project, called “Covid-19 and Diabetes in the Elderly,” has also impacted the understanding of public officials on this topic.

As a result, 3-5 public officials, 500 women and girls, and 200 men have been informed about women’s rights to healthcare, reporting mechanisms, and documentation of violations of women’s rights in healthcare. Additionally, the campaign has raised awareness through social networks, reaching 20,000 women, girls, boys, and men about their rights in healthcare.”

Furthermore, on March 10, a training session was held on the impact of the pandemic and diabetes on the elderly, as well as women’s rights in healthcare. During this training, the women were taught about various topics related to diabetes, including its types and impacts on human health.

They also learned about the features, symptoms, and signs of diabetes in the elderly, as well as sugar levels in the elderly, women, and men and the reasons for their increase. Additionally, the participants received information about the diagnosis and complications of diabetes.

After lecturing on these topics, internist Valbona Bajraktari emphasized the importance of raising awareness about diabetes among people and their family members.

“With this contribution, I try to be as close as possible to women and the population, given that diabetes is the most widespread disease in the world… Every day, I see that people are becoming more knowledgeable, and family members are also becoming more informed through phone and social networks,” she said.

During the training, social medicine specialist Pranvera Krasniqi spoke to the participating women about the health and social challenges of aging, including the differences in health due to gender and the risk factors for mass non-contagious diseases. She stressed that a healthy lifestyle should be adopted from a young age to ensure healthy aging and to stay active for longer.

“However, it is necessary to focus on modifiable health factors such as lifestyle, physical activity, stress management, and so on to improve health,” advised Krasniqi. The importance of this training was also emphasized by Mimoza Nuhiu Ajeti, executive director of the Vita Jeta association. “This is how awareness is slowly raised,” said Nuhiu Ajeti.

NGO Vita-Life carried out this activity as a beneficiary of the grant from the 17th Round of the Kosovo Women’s Fund, through the initiative of the KWN “Enhancing the Capacities and Resilience of CSO’s: Furthering Gender Equality Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which is financed by the Office of the European Union in Kosovo.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

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12.02.26

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Have Hope – A Second Home for Those Affected by Breast Cancer

23.03.2023

“Love life as I have loved it and I love it. To surrender is the easiest thing, but the battle is difficult.” These are the words of Arnisa Osmani, a breast cancer survivor.

On March 22, she inaugurated the offices of her organization called Have Hope, through which she aims to inspire and support cancer survivors in Kosovo.

“As a cancer survivor, I have experienced firsthand the emotional and physical toll of this devastating disease. However, along my journey, I have also discovered the incredible power of hope and perseverance. I founded Have Hope with the goal of sharing my story and providing a support system for others who are fighting similar battles,” Osmani says of Have Hope, which is a KWN member organization.

Through the organization, Osmani aims to provide resources and guidance to cancer patients and their families, as well as inspire and uplift those who may be struggling with their own battles.

In an interview with KWN, Arnisa Osmani said that the Have Hope center will be a meeting place where women affected by cancer can come together, talk, and consult with doctors, psychologists, and other women who can serve as motivating examples for them. Their goal is to show how to love life and how to fight for it.

“We all wanted to avoid being attacked by cancer, but the number of cases is increasing day by day. There are women who have nowhere to turn, so this center serves as a door and a second home where all women affected by breast cancer can come. There will be doctors and psychologists available, and they can also talk to me as a survivor of this disease,” she said.

The organization already has about 80 members, and the doors of the office are open to other women as well. Osmani says membership is free.

The reason for the Have Hope organization, as Osmani explains, is not only to spread awareness because most women already receive ample information about the disease, especially during the month of October, but also to focus on providing medical and psychological advice that those affected by cancer need.

There is also a Facebook and Instagram page for the Have Hope organization, where there will be constant information about the organization and the work being done.

KWN constantly supports member organizations in increasing their capacities, fighting gender stereotypes, and achieving gender equality in education, economy, politics, decision-making, and access to healthcare.

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

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25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

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13.02.26

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12.02.26

KWN Congratulates New Government, Calls for Urgent Gender Equality Reforms

SDK Advocates for the Establishment of the Consultative Committee for Gender Issues in Podujeva

23.03.2023

Achieving gender equality at the municipal level can be done by identifying gender-based inequalities in education, healthcare, employment, and political participation. To address these issues, it is necessary to have a mechanism at the municipal level.

This was the reason why the beneficiary organization of the 17th round of the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF), Sundimi i Demokracisë në Kosovë (SDK), through a round table with municipal officials, the center for social work, and civil society, advocated for the establishment of the Consultative Committee on Gender Issues in the municipality of Podujeva.

The objective was to increase institutional responsibility in gender policies at the local level by engaging civil society in discussions to strengthen gender mechanism.

At the roundtable, it was said that such a committee would offer advice to the legislative body and also to the executive of the municipality itself in avoiding potential defects and providing adequate solutions related to gender issues.

The committee would provide a platform for girls and women to raise their voices on issues and challenges and to participate in decision-making processes. The committee can also advocate for policies and programs that promote gender equality in the municipality. They can work with government officials to ensure that gender issues are included on the municipal agenda.

During the roundtable discussion, the participants agreed that joint and continuous advocacy efforts are necessary for the establishment of this committee.

Naime Podvorica, an official for gender equality in the Municipality of Podujeva, welcomes the establishment of such a committee.”

“We support the initiative for the establishment of the Consultative Committee for Gender Equality. We consider that the activation of this committee with good knowledge in the issue of gender equality helps not only our office but also the decision-makers to make progress in increasing the participation of women in public life in our municipality,” she said.

SDK carried out this activity as a beneficiary of the grant from the 17th Round of the Kosovo Women’s Fund, through the initiative of the KWN “Enhancing the Capacities and Resilience of CSO’s: Furthering Gender Equality Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which is financed by the Office of the European Union in Kosovo

03.03.26

Motrat Qiriazi: Women’s Activism in Kosovo Since the 1990s Told in Book

27.02.26

Empowering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities to Address GBV and TFGBV

25.02.26

Breaking the Silence: Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo

13.02.26

Under threat, and resilient

13.02.26

The Double Life of Growing Up Online and Being Safe

12.02.26

KWN Congratulates New Government, Calls for Urgent Gender Equality Reforms

Sevdije Ahmeti- a powerful voice for the protection of women’s rights

22.03.2023

“I will not be modest. I am a radical feminist. From scratch, we created a movement based on the needs of women. We started with women’s rights. We gathered a time when we would be accused by politicians. Ibrahim Rugova said it was not the time to fight for women’s rights, it was the time for national rights. We did both at the same time, underground or openly… and that was radical”.

“If you said you were a feminist in the 1990s, you were automatically called a lesbian. We had conflicts [between women], but we supported each other. Women never decided for war. And women were always active in peace and conflict resolution”.

These were the words of Sevdije Ahmeti, one of the activists for women’s rights in Kosovo, a movement that started in Kosovo in the 1990s alongside the demand for freedom and independence.

A woman who never got tired, a long-time humanist and women’s and human rights activist, she became a powerful voice for the protection of women’s rights, especially for women who were raped during the war.

After being fired from her job from the National Library of Kosovo on 23 July 1989, she began working for the Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms, preparing numerous reports on violations of women’s rights for Amnesty International.

This also included providing evidence to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for sexual violence and mistreatment against women in Bosnia and Croatia, when they sought refuge in Kosovo.

Sevdije Ahmeti, together with Vjosa Dobruna, founded the Center for the Protection of Women and Children in 1993., an organization which did not only help mothers and children but provided significant help also in documenting the tortures that the Serbian authorities inflicted on Albanians in general, and women and children in particular.

After the war, Sevdije Ahmeti was one of the first to initiate the issue of survivors of sexual violence in the recent war in Kosovo.

Activist Melihate Juniku shared a few words about Ms. Sevdije, stating that her immense courage, combined with her experience and the information she had, made her an exceptional woman.

Melihate also shared some stories with us about Sevdije.

“On 16 March 1998, one of the most massive women’s protests in Kosovo was organized, with around twenty thousand people joining the March for ‘Bread for the Children and Women of Drenica’. One of the leading women was Sevdije Ahmeti, along with girls and women from across Kosovo. The aim was to inform the international decision-makers that Drenica and the entire population of Kosovo were in danger and that urgent international protection was needed. This protest had a great impact and received widespread media coverage, both domestically and internationally”, she said.

Sevdije Ahmeti’s impressive work on human rights caught the attention of Colby College in Waterville, Maine, USA. In 2001, the OAK Institute for Human Rights invited her to be a fellow and lecturer.

As an activist and humanist, Sevdije Ahmeti worked tirelessly with the KWN, contributing support, solidarity, and knowledge that inspired our work. She was also a member of the Board of the KWN.

To commemorate the feminist and humanist Sevdije Ahmeti, the Kosovo Women’s Network gives, for five years now, the annual award for activist women with her name.

Sevdije Ahmeti was born in 1944 in Gjakova and passed away in 2016 in Prishtina.

03.03.26