Reproductive health and access to services — CARES 2

Access to reproductive-health services depends on information, the ability to reach care and the services available locally. ECMI Kosovo works on these barriers through research with women, community outreach and cooperation with health providers. Our CARES partnership with FORS Montenegro began in 2019 and developed through CARES 2, giving particular attention to socially vulnerable women, including women from minority communities and rural areas.

Listening to women and health centres

In 2019, ECMI conducted reproductive-health research involving 1,950 women in Pejë/Peć, Deçan/Dečani, Istog/Istok, Klinë/Klina and Gjakovë/Đakovica. The study was part of the first CARES programme. Local cooperation helped reach women in the five municipalities: the Kosovar Gender Studies Center assisted with identifying participants and meetings with health centres. BRIGA, an organisation active in Goraždevac/Gorazhdevc, supported the survey process.

During June and July 2019, we met the directors of the main family medicine centres in all five municipalities, as well as gynaecologists in Deçan and Gjakova. These discussions identified local concerns, service conditions and opportunities to organise information and prevention activities with the centres.

Equipment where women receive care

CARES 2 added medical equipment for the regional hospitals in Peja and Gjakova and the main family medicine centres in Klina, Istog and Deçan. ECMI announced the handover on 13 September 2023. The equipment, worth €53,720, included two ultrasound devices, a digital colposcope with a camera, examination and delivery equipment, a patient monitor, a steriliser and supplies for cervical examinations.

Prevention and cross-border learning

Alongside equipment, the CARES cooperation combined public information, community activities and support to health-service capacity. CARES 2 included preventive examinations, awareness activities and capacity building. The partnership linked work in Kosovo with health providers and communities in Montenegro, exchanging experience on prevention and access to services.

FORS Montenegro led the cross-border partnership, with ECMI Kosovo implementing the Kosovo activities. CARES and CARES 2 were financed by the European Union through the IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Montenegro–Kosovo. The work forms part of ECMI’s wider engagement on women’s rights and access to services.