On 1 December the next meeting of the Lobby for Gender Equality (Lobby) was held.
Around 60 participants discussed together the rights of women in Kosova, the work of the Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) and member organisations to improve the lives of women and girls, and joint advocacy opportunities to strengthen the feminist movement in Kosova.
An important part of this meeting was Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) at the local level, and its role in the socio-economic empowerment of women, as well as the presentation of the Strategic Network for Gender Policies – a network which was recently created with the aim of improving the genuine participation of women in politics and combating discrimination against women in the political arena, and which KWN is a part of.
KWN Executive Director Igballe Rogova at the beginning of the meeting mentioned the fact that throughout the journey she has strived to achieve gender equality, but never alone.
“Only together can we achieve gender equality,” said Rogova, while thanking those present who have gathered to share their experiences.
Further, Nita Bicurri, Program Manager, National Democratic Institute (NDI), presented to the audience the Strategic Network for Gender Policies.
“We must remember that the local level is also very important,” she said, further discussing the importance of women’s equal participation in politics and decision-making processes.
She also mentioned the result of the local elections of October 2021, emphasising that women should not be part of the political process only during the elections. Women’s participation in politics and decision-making processes must be continuous and active, she said.
The participants appreciated the initiative of the Strategic Network for Gender Policies and pledged cooperation through the Lobby for Gender Equality.
Next, Nicole Farnsworth, Program Director, Research Leader, KWN, spoke with participants about the implementation of GRB at the local level.
“In Kosova we have done important work for gender responsive budgeting, but we still have a long way to go to integrate it into any program, and we can only do this together,” she said, among other things.
KWN has been working for years to implement Gender Responsive Budgeting. More about this can be found at our website www.womensnetwork.org
Also, we remind you that since its establishment, the Lobby has been working towards fulfilling its vision for gender equality through the exchange of experiences, partnerships, and networking. At the meeting held in June, Lobby members discussed women’s participation in local elections, and advocacy opportunities for women.
In the end, Rogova invited members of the Lobby to join the 19th Annual Meeting of KWN Members, which will be held on December 11, 2021, from 11:00 to 14:00, at the Emerald Hotel.
This meeting was supported by the European Union (EU) Office in Kosovo.
