Kosovo Women's Network

Society for Blind People in Rahovec successfully completed their project

07.11.2017

On 18 October, the Society for Blind People in Rahovec held the final meeting in the framework of the project titled “Raising the awareness on support for blind and visually impaired persons”, which was attended, in addition to the blind and visually impaired persons and their family members, also by representatives of government and municipal institutions and the representatives of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN).
The meeting was opened by the Executive Director of SBP, Xhylfirje Bytyqi, who greeted and welcomed all the attendees.
Although this was the last and final meeting in the framework of this project, the staff of SBP seized the opportunity to announce the results achieved during the five-month duration of this project. There was a successful agreement with the Education Department to send four visually impaired children to the Special School for Blind People in Peja and a decision to establish a list of blind persons who need to become literate and for whom classes will be offered.
In addition, SBP successfully informed the blind and visually impaired persons from Rahovec Municipality on their rights guaranteed by Law no. 04/L – 092 on Blind Persons, which was passed on 2012 but has not been applied yet.
Among others, SBP has successfully advocated at the Health and Social Welfare Directory where they got the confirmation that this directory will help the blind and visually impaired children who need transportation to go to school and return home. They also committed to keeping their door open to all blind and visually impaired persons for anything they might need from this directory.
This project was supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of the Kosovo Women’s Network and funded by the EU Office in Kosovo.

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Minister Hoxha discusses on improving collaboration with civil society

06.11.2017

On 1 November, the Minister of the Ministry of European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, met with representatives of civil society to discuss the EU integration process and collaboration with civil society. Noting the important role that civil society has in supporting sustainable changes in Kosovo, she welcomed suggestions from civil society representatives for improving the involvement of civil society in the EU Accession process.

KWN raised three issues:

– It is essential to integrate a gender perspective in the entire process in all sectors in accordance with the Law on Gender Equality and the EU Gender Action Plan II. In order to do this properly, Ministries must include a budget for gender analysis within planned actions where they do not already exist in order to ensure that specific gender analyses are done to inform each sector. This is because such analyses are missing in several sectors. Such analyses are a requirement of the Law on Gender Equality, as well as essential for planning effective actions.

– It is essential for the Ministry of European Integration to encourage and assist line ministries in organising consultations with diverse women’s civil society organisations. These should be organised as soon as possible in order to inform the drafting of action documents for IPA programming. They should be organised by sector, inviting civil society groups that work in those fields to provide specific input on IPA programs. The Kosovo Women’s Network together with its 136 members can support the organising of such meetings. This is a request also of the EU Gender Action Plan.

– The Ministry needs to ensure that all relevant documents are translated into Albanian and Serbian, or at least summaries of them, and to post documents online, making them publicly available for consultation and input prior to their finalization. The Ministry must ensure sufficient time is set aside for translation and consultation.

Otherwise there is a risk that these documents will not be implemented by persons responsible for implementing them.

Other issues discussed included the need to formalize regular consultations with civil society in line with the Minimum Standards for Consultations with Civil Society; importance of amending the Labour Law based on relevant EU Directives, raised by Luljeta Demolli from the Kosovar Gender Studies Centre; and the need to harmonize existing Kosovo laws with each other.

In the afternoon, the Ministry of European Integration presented to civil society representatives planned actions for which the government of Kosovo has sought IPA funding from the EU; they requested civil society input on the planned programs.

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KWN part of the KPGE drafting working group

06.11.2017

The Agency for Gender Equality (AGE), based on Article 11 of the Law on Gender Equality has been obliged to initiate the drafting of the Kosovo Gender Equality Program (KPGE) as a strategic document of the Government of Kosovo, which defines the main goals, measures and actors who are responsible for achieving gender equality in all areas of social, economic, political, educational, health and cultural life for women and men in Kosovo in 2017-2021.

By the decision of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa on December 23^rd, 2016, the central team for drafting the Kosovo Program for Gender Equality 2017-2021 and the thematic working subgroups were appointed (Decision No. 069/2016).

The working group for the drafting of this document, part of which was also the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), for six consecutive days has developed a workshop discussing the collection, analysis and provision of necessary information during and until the end of the process of finalizing the Kosovo Program on Gender Equality and the Action Plan. The document is divided into three pillars: economic empowerment and social welfare; human development; decision-making and representation, Women, Peace and Security. The workshop was supported by SIDA.

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CBWK advocates at MEST

06.11.2017

On 16 October, the Committee of Blind Women of Kosova held in their office in Prishtina the last advocacy meeting in the framework of the project titled “More rights for blind women”. This meeting was attended by 10 blind women and men, members of CBWK, Mr. Halil Kurmehaj – Legal Advisor, Ms. Vlora Hoti – Political Advisor to the Cabinet of the Minister of Education, Science and Technology and two representatives of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN).

As part of the implementation of its four-month project, CBWK organized various awareness-raising activities to better inform the society on the needs and rights of blind persons to education. At the end of all campaigns of awareness-rising and trainings with members of this committee, the demands and needs of blind persons concerning their education have been summarized and presented to the representative of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology during the last advocacy meeting.

The meeting was opened by Ms. Bajramshahe Jetullahu, director of CBWK, who shared with the attendees all the difficulties faced by blind persons in education. “Although our law guarantees equal rights to everyone, this is not being implemented. Blind persons face numerous difficulties during their education at all levels. First of all, given that there is only one school for educating blind and visually impaired persons, located in Peja, you can easily think of the difficulties faced by parents of blind children and how and to what extent they are limited by the fact that children from all across Kosovo have at their disposal only one city where suitable education for them is provided. It is precisely for this reason that most children do not accomplish any education. In addition, a great challenge is posed by the lack of Braille-written literature, thereby causing students to lag behind leading to them quitting education.”

Ms. Vlora Hoti – Political Advisor to the Cabinet of the Minister of Education, Science and Technology said that since the beginning of the new mandate of Minister Shyqir Bytyqi, the structure and responsibility of this cabinet have been rearranged and that she will be the contact person for non-governmental organizations. She also emphasized that she would undertake to research and assess the extent to which the education institutions are equipped with typhlotechnic and typhlodidactic equipment, where and what literature uses Braille, relieve writing, enlarged letters, and texts in acoustical and digital technology. She also expressed her willingness and availability for anything she could help with.

This project was supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and funded by the EU Office in Kosovo.

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Lulishtja Organization informs women of their property rights

06.11.2017

On 18 October, Lulishtja organized in Keqekolla the final meeting in the framework of the project titled “Promoting and empowering women’s rights through property inheritance”. This meeting was attended by 23 women and girls from the Albanian community living in the villages of the Municipality of Prishtina, trainer Premtime Preniqi and the representatives of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN).

Considering the low percentage of properties registered in the name of women in Kosovo and the fact that Kosovo, despite the existing legal infrastructure concerning the women’s rights to inheritance, faces the poor application of the law on inheritance, Lulishtja Organization informed and encouraged women of the villages of Municipality of Prishtina and Podujeva, to register the property in their name.

At the beginning of the meeting, it was noted based on conversations with the attendees, that only a small part of attendees were aware of laws and way in which the inheritance in divided, and they do not have any basic knowledge on the existence of the law on property registration in the name of both spouses. During the discussion, it was evident that besides living in a patriarchal society, another reason for having such a small number of women who have property registered in their name is their willingness waive of the right to possess property that is registered in their name. During the meeting, the women’s rights to property and property inheritance were discussed. Besides providing information to the attendees, the trainer said that she was willing to help women in the future with instructions as to how to register property in the name of both spouses.

During the meeting, many women and girls, who expressed a huge interest, related various stories; however, women expressed more interest in laws and how to equally divide their property for their children in the future.

This project was supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

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Women from Carrabreg Village, Deçan, learn about mediation

06.11.2017

On 3 October, Klubi Social ‘Jeto’ Organization held a meeting with the women of Carrabreg Village, Municipality of Deçan, in the framework of the project titled “Easier access to justice for women who have property disputes or contests”, attended by 15 women and the representatives of the Kosovo Women’s Network.
Ms. Vjosa Shehu, Project Manager, gave a short presentation on the project, showing that its general aim was to “raise the awareness of the officers of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and establish contacts between them and the Mediation Center to help girls and women to speak freely on their contests and disputes”. This project aims at raising the women and girls’ awareness of mediation procedure.

The quick dynamics of economic development and social changes taking place in our country during the recent years is characterized by a huge increase in numbers of the disputes and conflicts between people. In such conflicting situations, people usually think that the most common way to solve conflicts is through formal judicial procedures.

However, the adjudication is not the only remedy to effectively resolve contests between parties. The most basic form of conflict resolution is negotiation, which mainly includes discussions between interested parties in order to find common ground or at least understand the differing stances they have.

In this regard, considering that women in Kosovo are usually involved in various disputes or conflicts, mediation gives the right to be equal in solving the disputes.

Kosovo has the Law no. 03/L-057 on Mediation, which is a reliable and confidential procedure; through mediation, the parties may solve their disputes in out-contentious proceedings.

Ms. Shehu said that, “mediation is a more peaceful way to solve disputes and lasts less than trials, with the maximum being 90 days, and costs much less to the parties.”

All the women attendees accepted that that was the first time they were hearing about mediation. One of the women said, “I hope I never have any dispute, but if I do face such situation, I now know whom to address myself to.”

At the end of the meeting, Ms. Shehu, being a mediator herself, informed the women that if they or any of their relatives has any dispute, they may address themselves to her. She offered to process the case free of charge.

This project was supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).

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KCDMI provides computer, English and oratory courses to students of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community

04.11.2017

On 25 October, Kosovo Center for Development and Multicultural Integration organized in Gjakova in the premises of the Center for Social Work, computer, English and oratory courses in the framework of the project titled “Economic empowerment of youth from non-majority communities: Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian, with a focus on girls”. These courses were attended by a total of 8 girls and 7 boys from Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community from Gjakova Municipality and its surroundings, trainers Gjuljeta Shehu, Nexhmije Hana, Olsi Turtulli and two representatives of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN).

Taking into account that the majority of youth from Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community face enormous difficulties in finding jobs, despite the fact that they have completed high school and university, KCDMI organization started to implement this project in order to build the capacities of youth from non-majority communities in Gjakova Municipality.

The first course, organized on Wednesday, 25 October, was the computer course, taught by prof. Gjuljeta Shehu. During this class, the attendees learned more about using PowerPoint. Until now, they h ave finished and learned how to use Excel and Word. The topics scheduled to be lectured on until the end of this project include using the Internet, preparing official documents, using photocopying and printing machines.

The second course organized on that day was the English course, taught by prof. Nexhmije Hana. The beneficiaries of this course are still at the beginner’s level. This level is scheduled to be complete by the end of this project.

The last course organized on that day was the oratory course taught by prof. Olsi Turtulli. During this course, the attendees learned more about topics such as: exercising the jaw, lips and tongue in a few variants; breathing; voice; diction; and the importance of all of these when communicating.

These courses continue to be offered every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday until the end of November, when the KCDMI-led project ends.

This project was supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) and funded by the EU Office in Kosovo.

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Rogova attended the Second Annual Meeting of the NATO Advisory Panel on Resolution 1325

02.11.2017

The Second Annual meeting of NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel (CSAP) on Women, Peace and Security was held from 1 to 3 October 2017 in Brussels, where Igballe Rogova, Executive Director of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) participated as a member of the Core Group.
By this meeting, NATO aimed at ensuring and strengthening a dialogue with actors of civil society, which will continue to contribute to the matters brought forward in the Women, Peace and Security agenda. For this purpose, CSAP worked during these days in drafting a strategic framework, recommendations and work plan for operations and missions led by NATO in the future.
Rogova shared the long advocacy work on the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1323. “Since the Resolution was passed in 2000, we have been using it when advocating for the women’s rights to participate in decision making. We have advanced the drafting of a report which is highly influential for NATO and other actors Facts and Fables 1325 concerning the implementation of Resolution 13225 on Women, Peace and Security in Kosovo.”
On the second day of this annual meeting, the Vice Secretary General of NATO, Ms. Rose Gotemoeller heard directly the Advisory Panel’s recommendations.
NATO and its partners acknowledge the importance of the civil society role in promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda, women and girls’ empowerment and protection of their rights. Through the Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security, NATO wishes to systematically benefit from the knowledge and expertise of civil society in order to further develop the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
Upon the invitation of Ambassador Marriët Schuurman, NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, Rogova is a member of the NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security, established during 2016.

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