Under the patronage of H.E. President Atifete Jahjaga, the Jahjaga Foundation organised the “Partnership for Change: Women Transforming Systems – Advancing the Prishtina Principles 2026–2035” conference from 1–3 October in Prishtina, supported by Luxembourg. The conference brought together women leaders, civil society representatives, security forces, policymakers, diplomats and other stakeholders to reflect on the legacy of the Prishtina Principles and to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda for the coming decade. Several Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) members participated.  

A special moment during the opening of the conference was the recognition of Ambassador Dr. Vjosa Dobruna, diplomat, human rights advocate, pediatrician and former KWN Board member, who received the Jahjaga Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in Women, Peace and Security. The award recognised her longstanding contribution to advancing women’s rights, leadership, peace and security. 

Dr. Justina Shiroka-Pula, President of the Academy of Sciences and Arts, and Sonja Biserko, Founder and President of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia were also recognised, among others.  

Several KWN member organisations contributed to the conference. Kadire Tahiraj, Executive Director of the Centre for Promotion of Women’s Rights, participated as a panelist in the session on “Reparative Justice, Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and Accountability”, sharing the powerful history of cooperation among activists, KWN, President Jahjaga, the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims and others   to support survivors.  

Abetare Gojani, Executive Director of The Foundation House, participated in the panel “Shaping the Future: Technology, Innovation & Resilient Societies”.  

KWN Board Member Antigona Baxhaku, through her company SHE Media & Communication, managed public relations and video production for the conference’s live streaming. 

KWN Executive Director, Nicole Farnsworth spoke in the session on “Economic Empowerment, Climate & Energy Security”. 

Farnsworth said that, legally, the ministry for environment should develop and use gender mainstreaming guidelines for climate mitigation and adaptation, but these do not exist. She emphasised the importance of institutionalising obligatory gender impact assessments to inform all laws, policies and measures, towards meeting diverse women and men’s needs. 

This, she said, must be accompanied by institutionalising gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) in public finance management laws and policies. GRB requires gender analysis and setting clear objectives, indicators, baselines and targets.  

She said that to be truly transformative, there is a need to transform gender roles, norms and relations, and to finance care as part of the systematic changes to the  functioning of the economy.  

As part the WPS Agenda’s commitment to participation, Farnsworth emphasised the need for meaningful participation of diverse women and CSOs in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating all laws and policies.  

Farnsworth emphasised two main principles that should be included in the renewed Prishtina Principles for 2026-2035: 

• The government must institutionalise obligatory Gender Impact Analysis to inform all laws, policies and budgets. 

• In line with WPS commitments and considering global funding cuts and challenges faced by women’s rights organisations, the government should earmark resources to support women’s organisations so that they can continue to support diverse women’s security.  

KWN’s participation in the conference builds on decades of advocacy for the meaningful implementation of the WPS Agenda in Kosovo. The Network has documented Kosovo’s experience with UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and advocated for women’s meaningful participation in peace processes, including through its research, advocacy and engagement with national and international institutions. KWN’s work has included 1325 Facts & Fables, which documents the implementation of Resolution 1325 in Kosovo, as well as A Seat at the Table: Women’s Contributions to and Expectations from Peacebuilding Processes in Kosovo, which examines diverse women’s roles and expectations in peace and security processes. The EU Gender Analysis of Peace and Security in Kosovo,  seeks to inform programmes and policies towards peace and security in Kosovo.  “Through Women’s Solidarity to a Just Peace” shares the voices of women from Serbia and Kosovo and their joint recommendations for peace processes amid the first Kosovo-Serbia negotiations. . 

KWN was a proud supporter of the first conference on the Prishtina Principles in 2012 and  KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova was very engaged when the Prishtina Principles were first adopted, following the International Women’s Summit “Partnership for Change: Empowering Women,” hosted by President Jahjaga  in Prishtina on 4–6 October 2012.  

KWN has continued to contribute to subsequent conferences convened on WPS under the leadership of President Osmani-Sadriu.  

KWN remains committed to advocating for the meaningful implementation of the WPS Agenda in Kosovo and beyond, ensuring that women’s voices, expertise and priorities are reflected in peacebuilding, decision-making and policies that shape their lives.