ONLINE DIALOGUE/BLOG: Women in Minority Groups Invisible in Kosovo's Policies

The overall situation for minority groups in Kosovo is not good and conditions are particularly bad for girls and women, who often don't have access to basic education or health care. These are the findings of a report published by The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation's partner organisation Network of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian women's organizations in Kosovo, NRAEWOK.

Only five years have passed since Kosovo in 2008 declared its independence from Serbia. According to the new constitution Kosovo is a multiethnic country with several ethnic groups: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians. Among the minority groups, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian are particularly subjected to discrimination.

“These minority groups feel they have been neglected during the re-building of Kosovo. They argue that after the conflict the situation and security for Serbs in Kosovo have been in focus and that minority groups have been overlooked. For example, Roma persons were often accused by both Serbs and Albanians of being collaborators for the other side during the conflict, which has added to their already vulnerable position” says Lina Andeer, Field Representative for Kvinna till Kvinna in Kosovo.

Failed to address women's needs

The Kosovar government has developed a strategy and an action plan for working with minority groups' integration in Kosovo. However, a study made by the Network of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Women's Organisations in Kosovo (Monitoring report for the implementation of the gender perspective within the strategy and action plan for the integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in the republic of Kosovo 2009-2015), shows that the policies have failed to address women's specific problems and needs.

Since women in minority groups are double victims of discrimination – gender and ethnicity – they face particular challenges. Many have a weak position within their families and communities, as well as in society at large. And in the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian group, many women lack basic education. Nearly 40 percent of the girls have never been to school and illiteracy is widespread. This contributes to the group suffering from high unemployment and almost no political representation.

Substandard living conditions

The often substandard living conditions for minority groups, make home life difficult. Many households don't have access to running water or heating, and the overall health status among the population is poor. Since women, because of traditional gender roles, often are responsible for the home, this is particularly hard on them. The prevalence of domestic violence and a lack of access to health care, are other problems adding to their difficult situation.

Often, women are married off at a very young age.

“Our partner organisations have reported on early marriages being a big problem for women in these groups, both within and outside of Kosovo. There have been cases of forced marriages in which women, as they are expected to contribute to the family's economy, have been sold to acquaintances or through relatives abroad. One girl ended up in a violent relationship in Italy and only with the help of a women's organisation she was able to return to Kosovo” says Lina Andeer.

List of recommendations

To help making sure that official policy documents more effectively can be used to improve conditions for women, men and children from minority groups, NRAEWOK has produced a list of recommendations available in their report.

“The report has attracted some public and official attention, but foremost it has strengthened NRAEWOK's own capacity to monitor the implementation of the strategy for integration of minority groups and to alert authorities to the deficiencies they find” says Lina Andeer.

Pavlina Ekdahl

Facts NRAEWOK

NRAEWOK works comprehensively to improve the rights of women in the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian minority groups. The organisation creates networks of activists to become a strong voice in society. It also works to change attitudes within minority groups, for more of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian persons to get engaged in dialogues at local political level.