KWN Launches Report Budgeting for Improved Gender Equality in Diaspora Programs

13.11.2017

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On November 17, at Hotel Sirius in Prishtina, starting from 10:45 – 12:00, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) will launch the results of our joint efforts, with Ministry of Diaspora and Strategic Investments (MDSI), which have resulted in a new publication entitled Budgeting for Improved Gender Equality in Diaspora Programs. During this event, KWN will present key findings and recommendations resulting from the analysis, as well as welcome discussion regarding the findings.

 

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

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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

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

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

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KWN launches Policy Paper: Kosovo’s Progress in Aligning Its Laws with the European Union Gender Equality Acquis

13.11.2017

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The Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) will publicly present its newest policy paper on 8 November 2017 at Hotel Sirius, entitled Kosovo’s Progress in Aligning Its Laws with the European Union Gender Equality Acquis. The paper was written by two renowned European lawyers and gender equality experts, Sylvia Cleff le Divellec and Katharina Miller, at KWN’s request and with financial support from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation.

 

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

Launching Event: Budgeting for Better Agriculture and Rural Development

12.11.2017

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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 – dissatisfied and disappointed with the number of women representing the new government: “Where are the women”?

11.11.2017

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Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), expressed dissatisfaction and disappointment regarding the low representation of women in the new Government, at its regular meeting of the Assembly, held on September 11, 2017.

 

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 Invites Citizens to Demand Justice for Zejnepe #JusticeForZejnepe

10.11.2017

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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 held its regular members’ meeting

10.11.2017

 On 6 November 2017, at Hotel Sirius, the regular bimonthly meeting of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) members was held, attended by representatives of KWN member organizations, members of the Lobby for Gender Equality in Kosovo, and representatives of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo.

            Igballe Rogova, KWN Executive Director opened the meeting by welcoming the participants. She noted that last week marked the 17th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, Resolution that obliged institutions to contact and consult women, who until then were not consulted for anything. Now even official delegations when they come to visit, besides the governors, they also meet representatives of women’s organizations.
Mrs. Rogova mentioned the finally approved budget by the Government for the survivors of sexual violence during the war, even though the process lasted long. The process for these women to apply to benefit compensation can be done in 3 ways: online, through organizations working with these women and through the Secretariat. “Now, it is not our job as organizations to put pressure on these women to apply; we just have to share with them the information about the application process, but it remains for them to decide whether they want to apply or not” stated mrs. Rogova. Meanwhile, KWN is lobbying for donors to continue support for these women, as is the UN Women supported project recently, with grants for their economic empowerment. Among others, se shared a very touching solidarity example between survivors of sexual violence, when they have decided to share honey beehives with the ones more in need. The Network, but also Rogova personally, have taken on as a sacred duty to monitor this process, “because we have betrayed so much these women, broke them, and we have isolated them so much as a society, therefore no more violation will be allowed.”
KWN will organize an exhibition during the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence" campaign, meanwhile members were asked to notify the KWN staff if they plan any activities for this campaign. Thus, KWN can share the information with the Security Gender Coordination Group, in order to include these activities in the campaign calendar and inform citizens.
            Further, Rogova spoke about the KWN’s concern with latest women’s murders (Femicide) becoming commonplace. KWN decided to hire a lawyer for the case of Zejnepe Berisha aiming to increas the punishment to the perpetrator, but also to convey the message to the relevant institutions and everyone else that someone is following these cases and the perpetrators of these offenses will not go unpunished. Also, KWN cooperation with BIRN has enabled participation in court cases through their monitoring.    
Later, the members had the opportunity to share information about the activities that were recently taken, where Magbule Elezi from the Kosovo Midwifes Association informed that in cooperation with KWN they met the Minister of Health where among other raised concerns, it was emphasized the issue of maternity wards closing. The Minister has expressed the willingness to push this matter forward, re-opening of maternity wards so every woman have the opportunity to take these services as close as possible to their place of residence.
            Nicole Farnsworth, the Program Manager and Lead Researcher at KWN, shared the information that soon she will be giving a speech in Brussels that deals with the EU mechanisms for funding women-led civil society organizations (WCSOs). Together with members issues related to two different policy papers KWN is in the process of writing were discussed. Further, members filled our a survey which contained questions related to funds made available by the EU and to what extend these address the issues that their organizations identify as the priorities in Kosovo. This survey moreover seeks to understand what type of support mechanisms grass-roots WCSOs need from the EU (in terms of funding, political support, etc.). The second round of questions evolved around the extent to which the EU Delegation in Kosovo is consulting WCSOs when planning, implementing and evaluating IPA programming and how the political section within the delegation is meeting WCSOs to set the country’s political agenda, to consult them on political matters and how much they feel that this section is mentioning gender equality issues in public (media, in public events, etc.)
At the end of the first part of the meeting, Mrs. Rogova informed the attendees that the Lobby for Gender Equality in Kosovo will organize three-day meeting in Durrës on 24-26 November 2017. Meanwhile, she added that the several-day meeting of KWN member organizations in Durrës is scheduled to be held during spring where the new KWN Strategy will be drafted.
The KWN 2017 Annual Members’ Meeting is set to be held on December 16, 2017.
This meeting was financed by the European Union Office in Kosovo. 

28.04.25

From Life in Spain to Volunteering in Kosovo 

25.04.25

The Foundation House celebrates a decade of Girls in ICT 

15.04.25

KWN Calls for Improved Attention to Gender Equality in European Commission’s 2025 Kosovo Report 

12.04.25

A Tapestry of Resilience: KWN’s Annual Assembly Celebrates a Year of Unwavering Progress and Honors Courageous Voices 

04.04.25

Activists to Assess Costs of Supporting Women, Children Survivors of Violence  

28.03.25

Shaping Change: A Swedish Political Scientist Contributes at KWN 

New KWN Paper Examines Alignment of Kosovo Laws with the EU Gender Equality Acquis

08.11.2017

On 8 Nov., the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) launched its latest policy paper, Kosovo’s Progress in Aligning Its Laws with the European Union Gender Equality Acquis. The paper was written by two renowned European lawyers and gender equality experts, Sylvia Cleff le Divellec and Katharina Miller, at KWN’s request.

     In the context of several important, ongoing legal and policy reforms in Kosovo (e.g., related to the Labour Law), the paper assesses the extent to which Kosovo laws have been aligned with the European Union (EU) Gender Equality Acquis. The experts identify shortcomings and make recommendations for better harmonizing Kosovo law with the EU Gender Equality Acquis. Some of the key recommendations, presented today by KWN’s Legal Advisor Gresa Rrahmani, include:
 
  • Kosovo needs to regularly collect data related to the gender pay gap in order to facilitate monitoring it;
  • The Labour Law requires several amendments to meet EU standards;
  • Specific definitions for sexual harassment and domestic violence should be incorporated in the Criminal Code; and
  • The sanctions in the Law on Gender Equality are insufficiently strong for preventing violations of the Law and thus are not sufficiently dissuasive, as foreseen by the EU gender equality acquis.
  • Implementation of the Law on Gender Equality remains weak and further steps as recommended in the Policy Paper should be taken to address this
      During the event, the Ombudsperson, Hilmi Jashari, spoke about the many challenges affiliated with implementing Kosovo’s laws pertaining to gender equality and anti-discrimination. He elaborated on failures to implement the Law on Gender Equality article pertaining to equal representation of women and men at all levels of decision-making, particularly in the context of recent national and municipal elections. He committed to continuing collaboration with civil society towards better implementing these laws.
     Visar Bivolaku, Policy Officer at the EU Special Representative in Kosovo emphasized that: “Equality among women and men is one of the basic values of the EU”. “Kosovo has a legal framework in line with international standards [but] it is not sufficiently implemented in practice,” he said. He voiced the EU’s commitment to continuing its work with the government and civil society, towards furthering gender equality in Kosovo.
     Yllka Soba, Programme Officer from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation congratulated KWN for its “constructive criticisms and very specific recommendations”. “As the first report of its kind, it is an inspiration for other women’s organizations in the region who can take similar steps based on this example,” she said.
     Following the presentation of findings and recommendations, panelists discussed the paper with members of the audience. The Ombudsperson provided clarifications on several issues, while noting several challenges with implementing the legal framework. For example, there are up to five different processes for addressing discrimination, which contributes to confusion and ineffective response in treating cases of discrimination, he said. He also stated that he was unsure as to whether there has ever been a case of Kosovo courts compensating victims. He highlighted the importance of sharing the recommendations with key stakeholders, including lawmakers.
     In closing, KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova said that KWN would share the paper with parliamentarians and other key actors, encouraging them to read the recommendations carefully and consider them in forthcoming legal reform processes.
     This paper was written and published with support from the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, financed by the Government of Sweden.

28.04.25

From Life in Spain to Volunteering in Kosovo 

25.04.25

The Foundation House celebrates a decade of Girls in ICT 

15.04.25

KWN Calls for Improved Attention to Gender Equality in European Commission’s 2025 Kosovo Report 

12.04.25

A Tapestry of Resilience: KWN’s Annual Assembly Celebrates a Year of Unwavering Progress and Honors Courageous Voices 

04.04.25

Activists to Assess Costs of Supporting Women, Children Survivors of Violence  

28.03.25

Shaping Change: A Swedish Political Scientist Contributes at KWN 

Kosovo Women’s Fund to Give €99,842.35 to 31 Women-led Organizations

08.11.2017

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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

EU Parliament to Discuss Violence against Women in Kosovo, Region

08.11.2017

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The European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) have asked Nicole Farnsworth, Kosovo Women’s Network Lead Researcher, to speak at the “joint exchange of views on violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey” to be held on 8 June 2017 in Brussels.

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 issues call: Vote for Women!

08.11.2017

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Rrjeti i Grupeve të Grave të Kosovës (RrGGK) bën thirrje që të votojmë kandidatet gra në zgjedhjet e parakohshme për Kuvendin e Republikës së Kosovës, që do të mbahen me 11 qershor 2017. Gratë ende mbeten shumë pak të përfaqësuara në politikë dhe në vendim-marrje në nivel kombëtar, komunal dhe partiak. Sipas Ligjit për Barazi Gjinore nr. 05/L-020, është obligim i yni si qytetarë, që të zgjedhim sa më shumë gra në parlament, duke pasur parasysh që subjektet politike dhe Komisioni Qendror Zgjedhor (KQZ) kanë dështuar në zbatimin e këtij Ligji.

 

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