On Wednesday 4 December, ECMI Kosovo in partnership with NRAEWOK held the Conference on the Economic Empowerment of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Women in Kosovo. The aim of the conference was to present the report which advocates for increased support to Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian women’s self-entrepreneurship. The event saw the participation of officials from key central and local-level government institutions, civil society organisations, business associations, donors and beneficiaries.
This activity was conducted in the framework of the project ‘Promoting the Economic Empowerment of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Women,’ supported by UN Women, UNDP and the EU.

Violence against women is a human rights violation, a consequence of the discrimination against women, in law and also in practice, and of the persisting inequalities between men and women. Up to 70% of women and girls experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime. Domestic violence also remains one of the most prevalent forms of violence against women in Kosovo. As 46% of women living in Kosovo cited evidence of domestic violence in their neighborhood, and 12% had witnessed a husband beating his spouse.2 However, more than half of the women suffering it did not report to the police.

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Yesterday, European Centre for Minority Issues Kosovo circulated an overviewof non-majorities’ representation in Kosovo’s 3 November local elections.

51 electoral lists for Kosovo’s local elections are run by non-majority community members, and the communities put up 44 mayor candidates, says the recently issued ECMI Kosovo Bulletin.

The Bulletin shows how the lists and candidates are distributed on non-majority communities and in terms of geography.

The Bulletin also offers background information to the main question mark in the context: To which extent are Serbs going to vote in the local elections?

Read also: Kosovo elections: 32 political subjects will represent the Serb community

Source: ECMI InfoChannel -European Centre for Minority Issues.

Issues: Decentralisation, Elections, Local government

Two (2) needs assessments are drafted by external experts which identified obstacles, shortcomings and inaccuracies in the implementation of the AI 05/2017.

Further, specific needs of the ACR and targeted municipalities are presented in:

This report seeks to provide information regarding the Free Legal Professions in Kosovo, particularly focusing on the representation of the Serb Community in these free legal professions in the territory of Kosovo. It details the legislation that regulates the free legal professions, the role of the Government, particularly the role of the Ministry of Justice in regards to the free legal professions. The report reflects the current situation of the representation of the Serb community in free legal professions. Following this, a number of recommendations have been concluded by ECMI Kosovo to increase the representation of the Serb community, as well as other minority communities living in Kosovo.

Please read the full report:

This research project aims to carry out an institutional assessment of the Council, looking at structural challenges to the institution, its financial administration and its fulfillment of its mandate. Following this, suggestions are made as to the improved functioning of the council in order to more effectively fulfill its mandate and act in the interests of the communities it represents. This research included thorough desk research carrying out a comprehensive review of existing research and statistics on the Council. Furthermore, interviews were carried out with both present and former members of the CCC, in addition to representatives of Kosovo’s communities, to obtain a first-hand account of the functioning of the council and its relations with the individuals it is said to represent.

Please read full report: