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outcome XM-DAC-41146-KOS_D_1.3
All women and men in Kosovo enjoy more accountable, innovative, effective, transparent, and gender-responsive institutions at all levels ensuring digital access to justice, digitalization, equality and participation for all, as well as sector reforms, strategies, development programs, and plans in line with EU GE acquis norms and standards ((UNSDCF Outcome 1)
During 2024 Kosovo continued to mark progress against the Outcome as following: Strengthening Digital Access to Justice The development of the two (2) draft sector-/policy area-specific gender mainstreaming guidance documents in the priority areas: digitalization and the justice sector, which commenced during the year, are designed to strengthen institutional accountability, transparency, and responsiveness to gender equality and align them with EU Gender Equality acquis . By addressing key areas such as digital access to justice and equitable participation, the guidance will ensure that public services are inclusive, and will help reduce barriers to justice, promote innovative approaches through digital transformation, and encourage the active involvement of all citizens in governance processes. Advancing Gender-Responsive Governance Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) : significant progress was observed in relation to gender-responsive governance in Kosovo, both at central and local level. The Ministry of Finance has initiated substantial changes in integrating Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) into the Public Financial Management (PFM) legal framework. This included harmonization and drafting of a gender-responsive Procurement Law, Law on Audits an Organic Budget Law, and GRB-specific legislation led by the Agency for Gender Equality (AGE). To strengthen institutional capacities, hands-on training was provided to 30 budget users and staff from four-line ministries, and 35 budget users from 16 Municipalities enhancing their ability to develop Gender Budget Declaration and comply with Budget Circular requirements mandating gender analysis in 2024. Simultaneously, AGE initiated several gender impact assessments across various sectors, while the Ministry of Local Government Administration (MLGA) introduced standardized reporting mechanisms and updated performance indicators to ensure accountability in in gender equality outcomes. As a result of insights gained from these analyses, twenty (20) women farmers from the Municipality of Prishtina have successfully utilized digital innovation tools to enhance their agricultural businesses. This achievement was made possible through a specialized training initiative designed to equip participants with practical skills in utilizing technology for improved productivity, market access, and sustainability. Sectoral Reforms and Gender Impact Assessments (GIAs) : The Agency for Gender Equality (AGE) has enhanced its ability to provide EU-aligned gender mainstreaming support across multiple policy areas and has conducted GIAs across key sectors, including public procurement, including laws on energy, social housing, business organizations, and free legal aid; administrative instruction on residential services; strategic programs such as the Kosovo Program for Economic Reform; Reform Agenda – Growth and Reform Facility; European Integration 2024–2028; and Programs and their Action Plans for Public Administration Reform and Administrative Burden Reduction 2025-2028. Municipal Gender Action Plans : At the local level, 13 municipalities endorsed three year/s Gender Action Plans, marking a key milestone in advancing gender equality at the local governance level. With these endorsements, the total number of municipalities with approved Gender Action Plans now stands at sixteen (16). These plans were developed through inclusive stakeholder engagement processes, ensuring representation and input from various community groups and gender equality advocates. These plans incorporate gender-sensitive activities addressing critical issues such as employment opportunities for women, access to education, and agricultural development. To support effective implementation, municipal assemblies approved allocated budgets, ensuring that these plans move beyond policy to tangible, actionable results. By embedding these approaches into local governance frameworks, they provide a structured mechanism to address persistent inequalities while aligning local efforts with national and EU gender equality acquis standards and specifically the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life . Cross-Sector Collaboration Training and Peer-to-Peer Exchanges : Capacity-building initiatives engaged over 190 municipal employees, enhancing their understanding of gender-sensitive governance. Peer-to-peer exchanges with Albanian municipalities facilitated knowledge sharing on implementing the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life. Additionally, a high-level delegation from Kosovo benefited from a visit to Croatia t o exchange best practices on aligning gender strategies with EU standards, focusing on integrating gender equality into governance processes. Public Awareness and Advocacy Kosovo Country Gender Profile : Published in November 2024, the Kosovo Country Gender Profile serves as a foundational document for guiding development programs and shaping gender-sensitive policies in Kosovo. This comprehensive profile provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of gender equality, highlighting key disparities across critical sectors such as education, employment, health, and governance. It identifies systemic challenges and barriers that hinder gender equality and provides evidence-based, actionable recommendations tailored to policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders. The profile is aligned with the EU Gender Action Plan III (GAP III) and Kosovo's strategic priorities, ensuring a cohesive approach to advancing gender equality. Additionally, it serves as a critical resource for the ongoing drafting process of Kosovo Gender Equality Program (2025–2035), by offering insights to develop long-term strategies that address inequalities and promote sustainable, inclusive socio-economic development. Through its publication and dissemination, the Kosovo Country Gender Profile contributes to raising public awareness and fostering dialogue among stakeholders, encouraging collective action to close the gender gap and strengthen institutional commitments to equality. The above achievements, reached largely through UN Women contribution with technical assistance, emphasize Kosovo’s dedication to integrate gender equality and digital justice principles into governance structures. In this regard, women will benefit from better access to justice, increased economic opportunities, and greater participation in decision-making, while men will benefit from more transparent and efficient systems that support shared responsibilities. These initiatives promote a more inclusive society for all and align with EU integration priorities to pave the way for more inclusive and equitable socio-economic future development.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-KOS_D_1.4
All women and men in Kosovo, particularly young people, vulnerable groups, and displaced persons, increasingly achieve gender equality and claim their rights and fulfil civic responsibilities (UNSDCF Outcome 5)
During 2024 Kosovo continued to mark progress against the Outcome as following: Supporting GBV Survivors and Legal Frameworks Legislative and Administrative Reforms : There was progress was made in aligning Kosovo’s legal frameworks with international standards, including Istanbul Convention through the initiation of five key administrative guidelines under the new Law on Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence, Violence Against Women and Gender-based Violence as following: - Guideline for Municipal Coordinating Mechanisms which aims to establishes a structured approach to local-level coordination - Guideline for the National Emergency Support Line aiming to lay the foundation for a reliable and accessible response system - Guideline for the Office of the National Coordinator for Domestic Violence Prevention - The Draft Administrative Guideline on the Determination of Procedures for Providing Services from the Emergency Fund to address the needs of victims during their stay in police custody. - The Draft Administrative Guideline on the Use of the Electronic System for Information Management and Issuance of Public Reports. Enhanced Services for Survivors : Continued support was provided to the Kosovo Government Commission for the recognition of CRSV survivors, resulting in 175 new applications for reparations and bringing the total to 1,704 survivors granted status since 2018. Psychosocial, legal, and vocational support was delivered to GBV survivors through shelters: in Gjakova, 32 survivors received psychosocial and legal assistance, with 12 also benefiting from vocational training; in Gjilan, 39 psychosocial counseling sessions were held for 12 beneficiaries, addressing empowerment, self-confidence, and trauma coping strategies. Additionally, 32 GBV survivors from Dragash and Gjakova participated in sessions on legal rights and available support services, while a needs assessment in Gjakova and Dragash identified survivors' challenges and priorities to tailor interventions effectively. A public building in North Mitrovica was designated as a shelter for domestic violence survivors, representing a significant step in expanding protective services in underserved areas. This achievement was facilitated by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Mayor of North Mitrovica, and the Minister of Justice, demonstrating a strong commitment to inter-institutional collaboration in addressing domestic and gender-based violence. The establishment of this shelter ensures that survivors in a previously underserved area will have access to safe and secure accommodations, alongside essential support services, addressing a critical gap in protective infrastructure supported by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Mayor of North Mitrovica, and the Minister of Justice. This marks a significant step in expanding protective services in underserved areas. Enhanced Domestic Violence Database : Kosovo’s National Domestic Violence Database was upgraded to improve scalability, security, and interoperability. These improvements enable policymakers to make informed decisions based on reliable and comprehensive data, addressing gaps in response mechanisms and prevention strategies. Key institutions, including police, social services, and shelters, received training on data entry and system functionality, ensuring consistent and reliable reporting across sectors. By strengthening data systems and building institutional capacity, this initiative contributes to a more coordinated and effective response to domestic and gender based-violence. Engagement with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) : Engagement with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), particularly through partnerships with local women’s rights organizations (WROs), has enabled direct delivery of critical psycho-social and vocational support for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in four targeted municipalities. These efforts empower survivors by addressing their immediate needs and equipping them with skills to achieve economic independence, enabling their reintegration into society. At the same time, strengthening the capacity and role of WROs enhances their ability to advocate for gender equality and drive sustainable change within local governance. Survey on the needs of 450 rural women in Istog, Mitrovica South, and Skenderaj provided data-driven insights into the barriers these women face, including limited access to resources, education, and legal rights. These findings informed targeted interventions, such as financial literacy training for 50 women in Istog, which equipped participants with practical skills to access financial resources and navigate legal frameworks. The involvement of municipal stakeholders and gender equality officers further strengthened local governance capacities to support women’s empowerment initiatives. Data-Driven Interventions and Capacity Building : Surveying the needs of 450 rural women in Istog, Mitrovica South, and Skenderaj provided data-driven insights into the barriers these women face, including limited access to resources, education, and legal rights. Targeted interventions informed by these findings, such as financial literacy training for 50 women in Istog , equipped participants with practical skills to access financial resources and navigate legal frameworks. Over 190 municipal employees and service providers are able to implement the new standard response mechanism on GBV best practices and integrate the relevant soft digital tools thanks to trainings provided on novelties from the new Law on Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence, Violence Against Women and Gender-based Violence Public Awareness- 16 days of activism against domestic and gender -based violence : Awareness campaigns targeting marginalized groups, including survivors of domestic gender-based violence (GBV), increased public understanding of legal frameworks and tools. These campaigns, implemented through diverse initiatives utilized digital platforms and community outreach programs to ensure widespread engagement as following: In collaboration with the University of Prishtina and UBT (a Women’s Empowerment Principles [WEPs] signatory), a TEDx event engaged around 100 students, showcasing key findings from UN Women's regional report The Dark Side of Digitalization , which highlights the growing threat of technology-facilitated violence against women. To inspire resilience and challenge societal norms, the documentary Ajo’Mal , show-cased the journey of 20 young women overcoming physical and social barriers through mountaineering under the leadership of renowned climber Uta Ibrahimi. Engaging young changemakers, UN Women partnered with high schools across Kosovo to empower students to recognize and address abuse, amplifying their voices as advocates for change. During the 16 Days of Activism campaign, partnerships with entities such as KEDS/KESCO, Kosovo’s first WEPs signatory, included knowledge exchange visits to Istanbul with WEPs signatories from Kosovo and Türkiye, fostering cross-regional dialogue on women’s empowerment. Awareness was raised within Kosovo’s Parliament as members donned orange symbols, demonstrating solidarity and commitment to ending GBV. UN Women contributed to these achievements through technical and advocacy assistance. The progress emphasizes Kosovo's dedication to integrating gender equality and addressing gender-based violence through robust legislative and administrative reforms, enhanced survivor services, and innovative awareness campaigns. Ultimately, women will benefit from improved access to justice, expanded protective services, and greater economic opportunities, while men will gain from more transparent and collaborative systems that support shared responsibilities in preventing domestic and gender based violence.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-KOS_O_1
SP OEE Output/Section Result KOS_O_1: Advancing partnerships and resourcing; Effectively influencing for impact & scale
Strategic partnerships have been integral to UN Women’s efforts in Kosovo, enabling transformative progress through collaborative action. By uniting with government institutions, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations, UN Women has strengthened collective momentum toward achieving gender equality. Through high-impact initiatives such as capacity-building workshops, economic empowerment programs, and awareness campaigns on gender-based violence, these collaborations have advanced critical priorities. Milestones include establishing the Gender-Responsive Budgeting framework, fostering rural women’s economic participation, and promoting gender-sensitive governance. These joint endeavors highlight the essential role of partnerships in driving sustainable and equitable development. During 2024 Eleven (11) new private companies from Kosovo signed Women Empowerment Principles in 2024. Kosovo now counts 25 WEPs signatories. This expansion reflects a growing commitment among the private sector to integrate gender equality into business practices. With their networks bringing together businesses and organizations, including academia, the private sector joined forces with UN Women toward the common goal of enhancing gender equality in the world of business. The overarching goal is to increase and disseminate the visibility of best practices in the private sector to promote gender equality and women empowerment among their members and advocate for the implementation of Women’s Empowerment Principles. The newly partnered private sector companies vowed to work under the 7 WEPs principles to enhance inclusive and equal working environments and invest in women empowerment and also report on their achievements in the WEPs official platform. Further, UN Women strengthened its long-standing partnership with the Kosovo President’s Office through support to the organization of the high-level forum on Women, Peace, and President Osmani committed to leverage the WPS agenda. UN Women also met with Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti to further discuss the upcoming Beijing +30 , UNSCR 1325 anniversary and other possible cooperation opportunities. During the reporting period, UN Women continued advancing its strategic partnerships with the donor community. By implementing a strategic approach to resource mobilization. As such, as one of the biggest donors, UN Women collaborated with the EU on several levels. Through, the Donor Recognition Campaign, the EU highlighted the years-long partnership with UN Women as the main partner for advancing GEWE. During the 16 Days of Activism, UN Women jointly with the European Union unveiled the strategic document Kosovo Gender Profile.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-KOS_O_2
SP OEE Output/Section Result KOS_O_2: Nurturing an empowered workforce and advancing an inclusive UN-Women culture
In 2024, significant strides were made towards fostering an empowered and inclusive workforce within UN Women. Notably, 95% of staff members successfully completed mandatory training, underscoring a strong commitment to professional development and adherence to institutional standards. Furthermore, half of the workforce participated in inter-regional exchange and learning opportunities, promoting cross-cultural collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill enhancement. These efforts reflect UN Women’s dedication to building a dynamic and inclusive organizational culture that supports personal and professional growth, aligns with core values, and strengthens the capacity of the organization to advance gender equality worldwide.
outcome XM-DAC-41146-KOS_O_3
SP OEE Output/Section Result KOS_O_3: Effective normative, programmatic and coordination products, services and processes
In 2024, UN Women continued to ensure effective multisectoral coordination through the coordination groups it leads, including the Security and Gender Group (SGG), the Results Group 5 (previously Gender Theme Group), as well as ensuring that gender is mainstreamed in all other UNSDCF Results Groups, Rule of Law Group, Human Rights Group, Immigration Group, PSEA Group. In addition, UN Women participates in the EU Donor Coordination Group, NDI Coordination Group as well as other donor coordination groups. The multi-stakeholder Security and Gender Group (SGG) chaired by UN Women and composed by the donor community, women’s organizations, civil-society organizations, international organizations, UN Agencies, and Kosovo Institutions, continued to meet regularly to discuss issues around GEWE and issued joint statements on relevant issues concerning GEWE. During the reporting period, the SGG issued five joint statements. The SGG meets on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to discuss gender-related issues. The SGG allows for a multisectoral approach towards preventing violence against women and involves health and social services actors, legal, human rights, and security sectors, and the community. In a letter sent in 2024, the Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, Ms. Sima Bahous congratulated UNKT for meeting / exceeding gender mainstreaming minimum requirements for all 15 SWAP performance indicators. UN Women leads this process jointly with UNDCO, further strengthening its coordination and gender mainstreaming approach, The UN Women chaired UNKT CF Thematic Group Results Group V (previously Gender Theme Group) allowed for joint and impactful coordination UN Coordination on pressing issues as well as UNKT advocacy. This approach helped advance Cooperation Framework priorities and effective coordination on gender-related issues. This group also served as a venue for coordinating joint efforts during UN International Advocacy Days, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Girl Child Day, Women's Empowerment in the Media, as well as raising awareness on all forms of violence against women through a coordinated approach. Through leveraging its coordination mandate, UN Women ensured that gender-sensitive inputs are provided to different Kosovo strategic documents which were being drafted during the reporting period. UN Women keeps track of its good practices and lessons learned when it comes to gender mainstreaming and coordination. This is done to monitor results and utilize lessons learned.Showing 1 - 5 of 7