On 20th and 21st of July, the organization "Partners Kosova" – Center for Conflict Management, in the framework of the project "Women’s Advocacy for their Property and Inheritance Rights", organized one-day presentations in the Municipality of Mamusha, respectively of Drenas. These two presentations were attended by 55 women, including women survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo.

            The aim of this presentation was to raise awareness among women, girls and youth through information on women’s rights and gender equality, within the applicable legislation in Kosovo, focusing on the right to participate in property and inheritance sharing. The presentation also aimed to provide participants with relevant guidelines on how to advocate to relevant institutions of the Republic of Kosovo regarding their property rights and inheritance.

During the presentation, it was discussed about the legislation in force in the Republic of Kosovo, which guarantees and protects the right to property and inheritance of both sexes, in this case with special emphasis on the rights of women, including the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and other laws, such as the Law on Gender Equality, the Law on Property and Other Real Rights, the Law on Inheritance, the Anti-Discrimination Law, the Law on Family, the Law on Free Legal Aid (these and all other laws in force in the Republic Of Kosovo can be found alphabetically listed here) as well as the accompanying administrative instructions (which, sorted by the years when they entered into force, can be found here).

            "We came here to learn what our rights are in this area, as in many cases in Kosovo, siblings, in this case sisters for example abandon inheritance in their father’s family, because according to the mentality here ‘one can not take brother’s inheritance’," said one of the participants in the presentation held in Drenas.

An important part of the presentation held by Partners Kosova in these two municipalities was the introduction of the role of notaries in these processes, as well as guidelines on what women should know about their rights, when contacting notaries for such cases within their families. 
"To escape the pressure that may be caused by the patriarchal mentality, or in any case by a family member who objects your inheritance and property rights, notaries are obliged to meet family women separately at their office, asking them in full privacy whether they are pressured to renounce their legacy or are they doing so by their own will, as such a decision is irreplaceable," said one of the trainers during the presentation.

            Special emphasis during the presentation was put to advocacy and the necessary steps for advocating for the division of property and the right to inheritance.

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