Kosovo women MPs, on November 19, 2024, signed an official declaration pledging to actively combat gender based violence against women in public and political life.

Cornelia Taylor, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, which supported the declaration, called it “a commitment to solidarity and a call to safeguard women’s dignity and rights.”

“As a woman, I deeply understand the importance of this cause. I am inspired by the courage and determination of those making this initiative possible. The support and experiences shared from across the region highlight the strength of women uniting and learning from one another,” Taylor said.

“When people witness women leaders facing harassment or threats simply because they are women, it reinforces negative attitudes and also discourages participation of women. When harmful behaviour is normalised in public life it affects how society as a whole treats women,” Taylor added.

She stressed that this declaration marks only the beginning and called for broader actions from other actors, including politicians and media.

“Media should uphold high ethical standards, use gender-sensitive language, and avoid hate speech or misogynistic remarks. Men, including male MPs, must stand with women to denounce violence and discrimination,” she said.

Saranda Bogujevci, Deputy Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly from the ruling Vetevendosje party, said that “eliminating violence against women requires a collective and ongoing effort involving institutions, media, civil society, and international actors.”

According to a press statement by the Kosovo Assembly, Bogujevci also called for accountability to focus on perpetrators rather than victims, urging men to take a more active role in preventing violence against women.

Albana Bytyqi, an MP from the opposition party Future Alliance for Kosovo, AAK, who attended the conference, went to Facebook to reiterate the seriousness of the issue.

“Violence against women in politics and public life in Kosovo remains a significant challenge, hindering gender equality and fair representation in decision-making. Urgent actions from institutions and society are needed,” Bytyqi wrote.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo stressed that the conference focused on addressing violence against women in politics, which is especially important considering that parliamentary elections are around three months away, on February 9, 2025.

Kosovo legislation has a gender quota to ensure that 30 percent of parliament seats are held by women. Currently, there are 40 women MPs in the 120-seated chamber.