On 18th of November in Pristina, Kosovo was held second regional conference „Achievements and Challenges of the Gender Balanced Policies in Kosovo„ The event was organized by the Kosovar Gender Studies Center Pristina.
Macedonian delegation consisted 15 representatives of national women’s networks and local NGOs led by Akcija Zdruzenska attended the event.
The first session was focused on women participation in economy and public life in Kosovo, the role women have in this respect as well as the importance of increasing women’s participation in public life as a key element to the development and democratization of a country. The second panel discussed relations between mainstream policies and the social and institutional obstacles Kosovar women encounter for their involvement in decision-making processes and leadership roles. As well as, the position of Kosovo media in this regard. The third session was focused on improving accountability regarding the violations of the Law on Gender Equality. The last session provided the space for discussion on gender mainstreaming policies at the local level, as an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of general policies and programs in the political, economic and social spheres in Kosovo.
Form Macedonian delegation Sonja Hadji Nikolov from Akcija Zdruzenska gave opening remarks, Mairja Savovska the Executive Director of Akcija Zdruzenska took part on the third panel referring on situation of women participation in decision making in Macedonia and Dzane Kreshova the President of Women’s Forum Tetovo in her speech addressed the challenges of gender mainstreaming on local level.
The regional conference was organized within the project “Equality and Gender Mainstreaming Across Borders”, supported by the EU in the framework of the IPA instrument for cross – border cooperation between Macedonia and Kosovo, implemented by Akcija Zdruzhenska Skopje and Kosovar Gender Studies Center Prishtina, in partnership with Community Development Institute Tetovo and the Centre for Counseling and Support for women Dora-Dores Prizren.