Equal gender representation in institutions remains the subject of debate

The equal gender representation in all Kosovo state institutions has been constantly, and debate remains. To create space and overcome obstacles to female participation in institutions, quotas have been created, which have also been envisioned under legal frameworks.

Such a quota of representation of women will also be presented in the Law on Government, which is under way.

The head of the Commission to draft the bill, Besnik Tahiri, who is also National Coordinator for State Reform, says about REL that the quota will have, but that is not yet decided because the bill is under discussion with working groups.

The Law for Government is under way on drafting. This law envisions gender quotas, we are under discussion on three key issues -- first on the ceiling of ministries, the number of deputy prime ministers and ministers, and also on gender quotas. There will be gender quotas, but there's nothing final. This is a government decision, not a working group decision. The processing group is handling this process, but yes, there will be gender quota” says Tahiri.

The Commission to draft the Law for Government has confirmed that it is already at its conclusion, while the planning is to be passed at the end of May to Government the draft law pass the necessary procedures in the Assembly.

The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), for the first time, applied the gender quota system in Kosovo in October 2000. A regulation required at least 30 per cent of female candidates on party lists to be female.

In contrast, the Law on Gender Equality states that “equal gender representation in all legislative, executive, judicial and other public institutions is achieved when a minimum representation of 50 percent for each gender” is provided.

Women's participation in each sector, whether public or private, should be viewed as natural by being equal to the opposite gender, officials from the Kosovo Ombudsman Institution say.

Majlinda Sinani-Lulaj deputy ombudsman says the Law on Government can predict any quota, but in the sense of gender representation cannot limit what the Law has previously determined for gender equality.

This law rightly sets the equal percentage in the sense of representation for both men and women. In this sense, in any evental conflict between the two laws will be legally considered the Law on gender equality”, Lulaj says.

Civil society representatives also point out that the Law on Governance should be harmonised with the Law on gender equality. Luljeta Demolli, executive director of the Centre for Investigations and Gender Studies, says the quota of women's involvement in the Government Bill should be 50 percent.

Because even the quota in the Kosovo Parliament has brought progress, it has produced a good image that women should be proportional to the general population, that 50 percent are female. But, we say that both in Government and in the Assembly, and in all institutions, there must be numbers and quality, and that's possible, because now in Kosovo girls finish high-level education and, according to research, they are more responsible in their work”, Demoll says.

Meanwhile, the United States' ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Costnet, has said it is Kosovars themselves who must change the issue of women's involvement in political and social processes.

“Today, Kosovo is not complete. In fact, it is divided because 50 percent of its population constantly stumbles politically, economically, and socially. And if you don't think this is not a big problem for Kosovo's future, then you have not paid attention to this issue. Because when women are on the table when women are part of the decision-making process, the results are positive for the entire country”, Costett said during a statement under the “women's Jeva”, which is organised in Kosovo by the National Democratic Institute.

Otherwise, in the Kosovo Assembly of 120 deputies, 36 are female-gender, from 21 ministries in the Government of Kosovo, only two are led by women, while of about 80 deputy ministers, only five are women. Meanwhile, none of Kosovo's 38 municipalities are ruled by women.

The highest position ever held by any woman in Kosovo is by Atifete Jahjaga, who was president of the country from 2011 to 2016.