At this critical juncture in the region’s democratic development, increasing the participation and political clout of women in Kosovar political bodies and governmental institutions has emerged as a priority for NDI’s Kosovo program. While one third of the seats in the Assembly of Kosovo are legally reserved for women, women members of parliament (MPs) have not historically enjoyed a high level of influence or engagement in the Assembly. Furthermore, the Assembly lacks a cohesive body that examines issues of concern to women and makes substantive policy recommendations to address those issues.

To offer remedies to some of these challenges and facilitate regional cooperation, the Institute, with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), recently sponsored a trip for members of the informal group of women parliamentarians (IGWP) within the Assembly of Kosovo to visit with their peers in the women’s parliamentary club of the Assembly of Macedonia. The gathering presented an opportunity for women from the two parliaments to exchange their experiences, forge connections, and offer one another practical advice on various issues confronting women legislators.

Established in 2005, the IGWP has recently tackled a diverse array of issues, with members authoring or adapting legislation pertaining to workplace relations, women’s and children’s health, domestic violence, and election law. In this respect, the Macedonian women’s parliamentary club was an especially apt host, as it has lately made marked strides toward achieving more equitable gender representation in the nation’s legislature, and has successfully advocated for issues including mandatory maternity leave and budgetary allocations for the fight against domestic violence. Furthermore, Macedonian electoral practice provides an exemplary model for promoting increased women’s representation on candidate lists.

At a working lunch with women from both clubs, the Kosovar women enjoyed an opportunity to interact with their Macedonian counterparts on a more informal setting, addressing issues of personal interest and exchanging information on their respective groups’ structure and functions, goals, and visions for the future. The Kosovar women received valuable insight into the role that the Macedonian club plays as a conduit for the nation’s public institutions, decision-making bodies, and advocacy groups, with the hosting delegation asserting that its objectives were met through the creation of joint strategies and through the continuous support and cooperation of various associations representing women’s interests. Over the course of the day’s events, the Kosovar women also met with the Macedonian Committee on Equal Opportunities to discuss strategies for raising breast cancer awareness. The day’s activities received national media coverage in both the Macedonian and Albanian languages and at the event’s culmination, NDI representatives expressed their gratitude to the Women’s Parliamentarian Club for their warm welcome.

As Kosovo moves toward and beyond a status determination, the IGWP aims to become an integral part of the region’s political institutions, and to establish a more representative legislature by compelling the Assembly to honor its pledges of equal opportunity for men and women. NDI will maintain its assistance to the informal group of women MPs and will work to identify further opportunities for the group to bolster the influence and engagement of women in Kosovo’s political processes. Now more than ever, it is of paramount importance that women be afforded a seat at the table as the Assembly of Kosovo asserts itself as a modern and inclusive institution—especially as the region readies itself for the political responsibilities and practical ramifications of greater autonomy.