Women’s challenges in participating in the labor market continue to be great, both throughout Kosovo and in the Municipality of Prizren. From various research, the current situation shows that around 70% of women are completely out of the labor market, while only 16% of them are employed in Kosovo.

Before we discuss and seek solutions for equal participation of women in the labor market, the causes and problems that result in this, must be discussed and analyzed, which are, what are the main challenges of women in relation to employment. Undoubtedly, there are several reasons and they are already serious, and among the first of them is the burden of caring for family members, children or the elderly in the house, continuing then with housework and the entire burden of caring for the home, which is universally recognized as women’s unpaid work, which automatically excludes women from the labor market in Kosovo.

In Tuesday’s salon organized in Prizren, with women activists and politicians, by Democracy for Development (D4D), the challenges and barriers of women for equal participation in the labor market were discussed in details, where many of the problematic issues related to this topic were highlighted, both in the business world and in other professions, including the public sector. It was clearly emphasized that women are ready to take responsibility and are ready to enter the world of work, but many of the causes are related to their lives, as well as the mindset of the majority of society, that women may not even be part of market or career development.

What we must agree on, not only in such meetings, but in general, is that we have a common obligation to enable women to have a more dignified life, to be economically independent and to have the right to access development, and this, undoubtedly starts from commitment to a workplace for which they aim. But, not all women who have the will and desire have this opportunity, precisely for this reason, we must commit ourselves to change this reality and make way for those who do not have the opportunity.

Another problem that emerges during the journey of access to the labor market is the division of jobs based on gender, that is, the stereotyping of certain professions and jobs, as well as distrust towards them, because of gender. This still remains a challenge for women, starting from the interview, where in many cases women are asked if they plan to become mothers in the future, or if they start working, who will take care of the house, then to several cases of dismissal due to a woman’s pregnancy, etc.  These and many other challenges undoubtedly leave most women out of the labor market in Kosovo.

Above all these challenges and problems mentioned above, it does not mean that the solution cannot be found, but it must be agreed that each part of society, women and men, non-governmental organizations and various initiatives, policy-makers and decision-makers must be engaged.

To jointly fight these injustices and inequalities in many spheres requires time and commitment, but never giving up on this situation, but only raising awareness and accepting the situation as such, for a more equal future for employment and access to employment for women in Kosovo.

This editorial was written in the framework of the project: “Using Development: Increasing women’s access to employment”. the same one from the Norwegian Embassy in Pristina.