“Informal businesses and their challenges”, “Discrimination in job vacancies” and “Institutional treatment of discrimination in job vacancies” were the topics discussed during the focus groups organized by the member organization of the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Women’s Association.

Beneficiaries of these focus groups were 96 women and young women in business of the Municipality of Gjakova and surrounding villages such as: Reka e Keqe and Dushkaja Region, from Albanians, Roma, Ashkali, Egyptians and Bosniaks ethinicities.

Participants during the meeting held on March 3, discussed the difficulties that new businesses face in the market. Amongst other obstacles mentioned during the discussion, the lack of institutional support from local government seemed to be a very critical one, especially in the initial phase when businesses need it the most.

„From the implemataion of this project we have noticed the discrimination of women which is being done in various job vacancies, the increase of women’s economic informality and gender inequality in government subsidies“ said the executive director of the Women’s Association, Qefsere Kumanova.

These meetings were organized in the framework of the initiative „Empowerment of women in the labor market“ supported by the Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) and funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and co-financed by UN Women.

As a result of this initiative, the Women’s Association was able to identify 100 cases of discrimination against women and young women in job vacancies. 50 women and young women have been trained for job interviews and have been trained on file complaints for gender bases discrimination in labor.