Online discussion - Strengthening the role of women as community leaders

Respecting the preventive measures against Covid-19, the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies has started the implementation of activities through online platforms. On this regard, yesterday, on April 30, 2020, KCSS held a discussion with girls and women from the municipality of Mitrovica in the framework of the Women Security Forum.

The need for wider engagement of girls and women in topics related to security was emphasized throughout the discussion. Furthermore, the participants discussed on the importance of greater involvement of girls and women in various topics such as the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and the role of women in the further development of inter-ethnic relations in Kosovo. The participants expressed their concerns regarding the increase in cases of domestic violence during the pandemics and the lack of effective institutional response towards this phenomenon. In this regard, the participants were vocal in calling the relevant institutions to provide adequate protection for the victims of domestic violence throughout the whole process of addressing the cases of domestic violence and to ensure a safe process of reporting such cases.

Through such activities, KCSS aims to strengthen the role of women as community leaders, advocate for addressing their security concerns and promote the active role of women in preventing conflict, violence and violent extremism, regardless of ideology or ethnicity.

The Woman Security Forum is implemented in the framework of the project "Building Resilience: Communities Against Violent Extremism" supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kosovo.