{"id":1111533,"date":"2017-06-12T18:22:43","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T18:22:43","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2018-11-21T09:51:08","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T09:51:08","slug":"kosovo-womens-fund-grants-euro99842-35-to-31-women-led-organizations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/womensnetwork.org\/sr\/kosovo-womens-fund-grants-euro99842-35-to-31-women-led-organizations\/","title":{"rendered":"Kosovo Women’s Fund Grants \u20ac99,842.35 to 31 Women-led Organizations"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 12 June, the Kosovo Women\u2019s Network (KWN) organized the Orientation Session and the Press Conference to officially announce 31 recipients of 27 grants of the Kosovo Women\u2019s Fund (KWF), four of which are partnerships, amounting \u20ac99,842.35. Of them, the European Union Office in Kosovo has funded \u20ac56,434.25\u20ac, while the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) has funded \u20ac43,408.10.
\nBy supporting these women-led organizations initiatives, KWF contributes on changes that they bring to their communities. KWN, through KWF, also encourages solidarity among women\u2019s rights activists, and working together as a women\u2019s movement on implementing KWN\u2019s Strategy 2015-2018<\/a>, which has been compiled and approved in accordance with KWN\u2019s member organizations.
\nGentiana Murati, KWF Coordinator and Besa Shehu, Finance Manager at KWN, on the first part of the meeting shared detailed information regarding the narrative and financial reporting, and filling the monitoring and evaluation database, which will facilitate beneficiaries on the reporting process throughout the implementation of these projects.
\nIgballe Rogova, Executive Director of KWN, on her welcoming speech recalled the beginning of the Kosovo Women\u2019s Fund back in 2012, when it provided grants in the amount of \u20ac500, expressing her gratitude that five years later with the support of two main donors, the European Union Office in Kosovo and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), almost \u20ac100,000 are being awarded for KWN members.
\n\u201cTheir [donors] presence itself here shows how much they support the work of women\u2019s organizations\u201d, said Ms. Rogova, \u201cappreciating the importance of gender equality for the development of a [our] society\u201d. Meanwhile, she congratulated the beneficiaries wishing them success, emphasizing that \u201cyour successful projects and your successful and transparent work and results brought KWN where it is today\u201d. She also thanked media for always supporting and transmitting to the audience the work and voice of women.
\nDeputy Head of Cooperation in the European Union Office in Kosovo, Mr. Libor Chlad, spoke about the importance of this Fund and their expectations that these organizations, through implementing these projects, have an impact on improving the lives of girls and women and their community in Kosovo. Speaking about the importance of gender equality as a fundamental human right for both the EU and Kosovo, he said that this should be adequately taken care of by state institutions, and emphasized their expectations of increased women’s participation in politics and decision-making processes after the 11th<\/sup> June elections.
\n„Given the last year’s PISA results, the EU has focused on allocating funds to the education sector next year,“ said Mr Libor Chlad, among other things. „Since there is ground to build a better future in the education sector, we will concentrate on comprehensive projects where we can address the obstacles we have identified in this sector. Gender Equality agenda should be included in teaching from childhood in order to increase and raise them with equal rights. We will continue to cooperate towards an equitable society based on participatory, inclusive and long-term sustainability,“ he added.
\nMeanwhile, the Head of the Office of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), Mr. Gunther Zimmer said they are delighted to be part of Kosovo Women\u2019s Fund through which they influence women’s empowerment. He also stressed that since ADA has been active in Kosovo from 1999, they always took care that gender equality has a particular focus in its implemented projects. Mr. Zimmer also expressed his hopes that the next government will keep promises and involve more women in decision-making as a tool to furthering country\u2019s development.
\n„As per the Government and furthering women\u2019s important issues, I would like to emphasize that we should strongly encourage the future Government to take all necessary steps on establishing the Secretariat for survivors of sexual violence during the war, as a final step in this process, therefore enabling as many women as possible to receive the compensations they are entitled to,\u201d emphasized Mr. Zimmer. Among other things, he stated, „Even ADA has learned from gaps towards gender equality. However, we will continue to support, but this support would be pointless without the cooperation with KWN.“
\nDuring the signing of the contracts, Nevenka Rikallo from NGO Ruka+Ruci, beneficiary of this KWF round said \u201cThe role of KWN for women and girls in Kosovo is very important. KWN’s support to small organizations, has a huge impact on improving the position of women in the society, having in mind that gender equality is important in becoming a society with European standards\u201d.
\nKWN and its member organisations signed contracts for grants, as following:<\/p>\n

Advocacy Grants for a Single Organization:<\/b><\/p>\n