KWN as one of the founders and members of this forum has provided input for this agenda and has been active in advocating for amending Kosovo’s Law on Labour in order to create a more enabling labour environment in which more women can be employed. During this event, after welcoming words by Alban Hashani, Executive Director of Institute Riinvest and James Hope, USAID Kosovo Mission Director, the agenda and its aims were presented. The mains pillars of this national agenda were drafted by all 10 member organizations of the Women’s Economic Forum and evolve around amending the Law on Labour, mostly focussing on introducing new models for maternity leave, paternity leave and shared parental leave.

Secondly, on increasing the number of and establishing new forms of investing in childcare facilities. Thirdly, the agenda focusses on advocacy points related to changing trainings offered at vocational training schools and lastly, on women’s entrepreneurship. The launch of this agenda included a panel discussion with the Deputy Ministers of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

All governmental representatives welcomed the agenda, expressing its relevance and Kosovo’s need for such a document. According to Mr. Çerkin Dukolli, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, “women are a strategic capital”, expressing his understanding of investing in strategies that would enable more women to become active members of the labour market.

As the agenda is now made public, 2018 awaits an active year full of advocacy efforts towards empowering women economically.