On 25 April 2026, the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) brought together members, partners, Board and staff for its 23rd Annual Assembly. More than a formal gathering, the event served as a moment to reflect on the past year’s achievements, set priorities for the year ahead, and honour those who have dedicated their work to advancing women’s rights and gender equality in Kosovo and beyond.
KWN Board member Gjylieta Mushkolaj opened the Assembly reflecting on the essential role women continue to play in building a more just and democratic society, while also acknowledging the persistent challenges that remain.
“Despite the progress achieved, this meeting is an opportunity to reflect and strengthen our commitment to ensuring that women are treated as equals. Violence against women remains a serious challenge, yet women’s activism has brought concrete changes and important achievements in public, political and institutional life”, she said. “Women’s dignity is not a matter of party politics, but the foundation of a democratic country. Therefore, we must continue working together to build a future where girls and women live free, safe and equal.”
Albulena Haxhiu, Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo and Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, highlighted the long-standing contribution of women’s activism and KWN’s role in shaping Kosovo’s democratic development. “The Network is a clear example of the power of equality, protection from violence, and the empowerment of women in decision-making. KWN has generated knowledge, demonstrated that democracy is strengthened not only by institutions but also by civil society, and has been a vital partner to institutions, a strong voice against injustice, and an active force for change that creates safe spaces for women.”
Nancy Soderberg, Director of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Kosovo, further emphasised the indispensable role of women’s civil society organisations in strengthening democracy, justice and equality. “It is essential to understand that progress is not made only within institutions, but also through everyday engagement with citizens, municipalities and local realities”, she said. “Our partnership with the Kosovo Women’s Network is important precisely because it connects national-level efforts with grassroots realities. At a time when, across many countries, we are witnessing backlash against gender equality, disinformation and targeted attacks on women in politics and public roles, KWN’s work is even more critical. By combining community engagement with rigorous research and policy analysis, KWN ensures that women’s voices are not only heard, but also translated into concrete policy proposals.”
Reyes Charle Cuellar, Gender Adviser at the Office of the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) in Kosovo, reinforced this message by emphasising that meaningful progress depends on cooperation between institutions and civil society. “EU and KWN have been partners; it has been a relationship built on dialogue and trust. Your ability to represent diverse women is a responsibility that you take seriously. Your expertise, provision of services and monitoring of public services, public policies and institutional performance remain indispensable. Equally, your monitoring of our actions as EU representatives in Kosovo has, on many occasions, opened our eyes and helped us in furthering gender equality and women’s rights.” She continued by stressing that “The European Union will continue to support efforts to prevent gender-based violence, strengthen women’s economic empowerment and reinforce social mechanisms for gender equality, remaining a committed partner in this shared journey.”
Finally, Saxhide Mustafa, Coordinator of the Women’s Economic Forum and Deputy Executive Director of the Riinvest Institute, underscored the importance of broadening alliances for gender equality. “Your voice, Igo, has been heard even in the most remote areas of the country, showing that there is still much work to be done. Therefore, we must continue creating joint initiatives for a more equal society. We need a broader alliance with women and men, including Members of Parliament and decision-makers, because women’s issues should not be addressed by women alone.”
Following the opening remarks, KWN Board member Xhejrane Lokaj presented the annual “Sevdije Ahmeti” award, a sign of solidarity, support and recognition of contributions to the women’s rights movement. This year’s award was given to Flora Brovina, who for decades has supported women and children and contributed to strengthening civil society and advancing gender equality, including during her time as a Member of Parliament.
Reflecting on her journey, Flora stated: “Women’s voices have not always been heard – from patriarchy to the moment when representation was secured through quotas, and to today, when more and more women are entering decision-making based on merit. But the journey is not yet complete.”
The ceremony continued with a powerful poem performed by actress and women’s rights activist Safete Rogova, followed by a personal tribute from Sevdije Ahmeti’s sister, Hikmete Xharra, who expressed gratitude to KWN for preserving Sevdije’s legacy through the award: “There may be young women and girls who did not have the chance to know Sevdije, so I would like to say a few words about her … From a young age, she stood up against injustice. Although our father was somewhat authoritative, she would always ask ‘Why, just because we are women?’. For Sevdije, there was no place for division or discrimination.”
KWN staff then presented the organisation’s key achievements in 2025 as well as the work plan for 2026, which was formally approved by members. The Assembly also included the election of the new KWN Board, which will continue overseeing and guiding the Network’s efforts in the coming year. Since there was no quorum, the voting process for Board members was decided to continue online.
In the spirit of solidarity and collective reflection, KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova continued by emphasising the importance of standing together and mutual support, while giving space to members and partners to share experiences, challenges and the way forward. In this context, she also shared with participants the symbolic amount of funds raised during the Assembly in support of the organisation “Dëgjo Zërin Tim”.
“KWN has always stood by us with support, trying to help us in every possible way, even when opportunities were limited, especially us, persons with disabilities”, said Resmije Rrahmani (Biba), Coordinator of the Organisation of Persons with Muscular Dystrophy of Kosovo (OPDMK). She continued by emphasising the importance of inclusive cooperation: “Only together can we achieve our shared goals, which are in the interest of all women, especially women who experience violence and women with disabilities.”
Vlora Nushi, Head of Office at UN Women Kosovo, reflected on the global context and the growing challenges facing women’s organisations. “As we are all working and facing a global challenge, where destructive forces are gaining more power around the world, support for women’s organisations remains more important than ever. Globally, we are advocating for the strengthening of women’s organisations and for the allocation of sustainable funding for their work”, she said. “I want to greet women’s organisations and assure you that we will continue our work and commitment, ensuring that in every meeting, women’s organisations remain at the centre of attention. I promise you that we will stand together with you.”
Ganimete Sava, Executive Director at Art Without Limit, shared a special moment from the organisation’s 10-year journey, thanking KWN for its support at a decisive moment: “When we founded the [International Film] Festival and wanted to bring it to the stage, we sought support but had no funding. It was precisely then that the support of the Kosovo Women’s Network came, the first grant we received, and we said ‘yes’ to our work and our dream.” Holding up an engraved glass trophy, she continued: “Today, after 10 years of work, we are marking the first edition of the festival in Vienna and the seventh edition in Pristina. We are forever grateful and dedicate this trophy to the Network, as a sign of gratitude for the first helping hand it extended to us in our journey.”
These reflections once again underscored the importance of solidarity and joint commitment to advancing women’s rights in Kosovo.
