OSCE Mission in Kosovo promotes empowerment of women in political decision making

A two-day OSCE-supported conference on the empowerment of women in decision-making for more than 70 representatives of the Assembly of Kosovo and municipal women caucuses, political parties, Agency for Gender Equality, and local and international agencies dealing with gender issues, concluded in Prishtinë/Priština on 23 June 2012.

The conference participants adopted a set of recommendations that, among others, call on political parties to apply a 30 percent gender quota when appointing members to the presidency boards, and on municipalities to establish budget lines for women caucuses and their activities.

In addition, the Mission in Kosovo pledged to support women caucuses in reviewing and further improving the Law on Gender Equality, and to help raise awareness of gender-responsive budgeting amongst central and local level institutions. To this end, the OSCE Mission will compile a full set of recommendations and disseminate them to women caucuses at central and local levels to be used a roadmap for future advocacy efforts.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with democracy building and human rights protection and promotion. The Mission helps establish and develop women caucuses, as well as increase women participation in decision-making processes.