November 25 was chosen as the International Day to End Violence against Women at the first meeting of feminists of Latin America and the Caribbean (Feminist Encuentro) held in Bogotá in 1981, in memory of the Mirabel sisters (Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa) who were brutally murdered by the dictator Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic in 1960.
Since 1999, this date has been officially set as the day when women’s rights activists and organizations demand from their government and other institutions' accountability regarding the violence that is perpetrated against women and girls. Under the theme "UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls", the 25th of November also marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender-based Violence, in which more than 1,700 organizations in over 100 countries participate.
In this regard, the article below explores how philanthropy in Kosovo supports women and organizations that work tirelessly for their well-being.
Advancing Women's Wellbeing: Kosovo's Philanthropic Initiatives Over the Past Three Years
According to the preliminary data from the “Giving Kosovo” Philanthropy Platform, from January 1, 2020, to October 31, 2023, citizens and companies donated more than 15 million euros through 2,817 instances dedicated to the common good in Kosovo. Out of the total sum, only 42,892.6 euros (less than 1%) were donated for the women's cause in the past three years. According to 2019 the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report “Aid in Support of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment”, only one percent of gender-focused state aid is directed to organizations working on the protection and support of women. Whereas, according to 2023 UN WOMEN analysis “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”, funding of women-centered initiatives has not improved globally, despite increased momentum and clear evidence of need. This shows that not only in Kosovo, but the low investment, including donations, on matters that tackle women’s rights needs to increase globally.
However, with the abovementioned amount donated for women's rights in Kosovo, the most supported causes included healthcare, seasonal giving (which includes donations given on national and/or religious holidays) and social entrepreneurship.
The donors who supported women the most during this period were coming from the corporate sector with 15.4%, CSOs with 23.1%, known individuals with 23.1%, and mass-individual (a collective gathering of funds where individuals are not identifiable) with 38.5%. Recipients who received donations to support women and related causes were CSOs (53.8%), individuals and families (30.8%), and public institutions (15.4%).
The most supported recipients who received donations for the women's cause and other ways of support included:
- Center for the Protection of Women and Children
- Center for Promotion of Women's Rights
- Gynecology Clinic at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo
- The Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT)
- “Have Hope” NGO
- Breast Cancer Association “Renesansa”
- “Sakuntala” NGO from Prizren, focusing on support of vulnerable groups
- Traditional Cuisine Company "Te Anna", a women led company
- Women's Physical Therapy Club "VITA"
In the rest of the article, you can read some inspirational stories on how the citizens and companies of Kosovo have supported girls and women and their well-being.
1. Supporting Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Women Facing Health Issues (Breast Cancer and Leukemia)
In 2020, Raiffeisen Bank in Kosovo, through the Action for Mothers and Children (AMC) Foundation, donated 32 types of medical equipment and medical drugs of 20,000 euros to the Gynecology Clinic at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. This donation was made with the intention to complete the operating room for pregnant women infected with COVID-19.
Donation of Raiffeisen Bank to the Gynecology Clinic at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo / Source: Official website of AMC
In 2021, NLB Bank supported women affected by breast cancer. Following the end of October, the “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”, and the annual international campaign to disseminate information and educate people about the importance of breast health, NLB Bank donated epitaphs, bras, and wigs to women affected by breast cancer. The donation was handed over to the NGO "Have Hope," founded in 2020, led by Arnisa Osmani, who has won the battle against breast cancer.
In 2022, during October, Action for Mothers and Children (AMC) Foundation donated 100 packs of essential products to women diagnosed with breast cancer to the NGO “Renesansa,” a breast cancer patient organization in Kosovo.
In 2023, “Golden Eagle”, a company which produces different drinks and juices, enabled the buying of 150 professional breast prostheses as donations to women affected by breast cancer. The total amount of 12,000 euros was raised from their campaign of selling the companies “Natural100%” juices.
Also, “Golden Eagle” Foundation continuously provides support for people in need of medical help. The foundation allocated 10,000 euros for E., a 12-year-old girl from Albania, suffering from acute leukemia.
2. Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence
In 2020, Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, a survivor of war-time sexual violence herself, living and working in the USA, through her foundation, distributed food packages for survivors of war-time sexual violence in Kosovo. This was the first donation from the “Vasfije Initiative” Foundation. Vasfije's brother, Nafi Krasniqi, announced that the total value was 5 thousand dollars and was delivered through many institutions in some municipalities.
Another support was in 2022, when the Humanitarian Association “Bereqeti”, the branch in Gjakova, donated 30 food packages for survivors of sexual violence.
3. Sheltering Hope: Support for the Survivors of Domestic Violence
In 2020, the “Give love, not violence!” campaign, organized by the TLP Alumni Association, raised funds for eight Domestic Violence Shelters in Kosovo. The shelters used the funds raised to provide emotional support and counseling to the sheltered women and children. During this campaign, 4,000 euros were collected from 85 donors.
In 2021, the “Center for the Protection of Women and Children”, which works to eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women and children by supporting these two vulnerable groups through shelter, counselling, and other services, was visited by designer Merita Harxhi Koci, who organized a surprise for them for the end-of-year holidays by gifting them beautiful dresses and other clothes for the holiday season, with the hope to offer them festive memories.
4. Art for the Greater Good
With the goal to raise awareness about the dangerous yet existing phenomenon of human trafficking, a gala concert called "Artists Women for the Community" was organized in March 2023 in Klan Arena. In addition to raising awareness, the intention of the gala concert was to collect funds in support of the “Center for Protecting Victims and Preventing Trafficking in Human Beings (PVPT)”. Through this event, the donors enabled the continuation of the work of PVPT in providing a safe, warm, and comfortable shelter, as well as healthy and productive living environment for international and local women affected by trafficking.
A performance at the gala concert called "Artists Women for the Community" / Source: Presidency of the Republic of Kosovo official “Facebook” page
Additionally, in September 2023, an exhibition with more than 30 works of painting, sculpture and graphics was opened in Pristina in honor of Mother Teresa's work, organized by Elona Ndrecaj. By purchasing those works of art of more than 20 artists participating in this exhibition dedicated to Mother Teresa, among which were Kadrush Ramaj, Sabri Behramaj, Genc Ibrahimi, Anton Krasniqi, Esat Vella and many others, the buyers contributed directly to provide support for marginalized women.
Conclusion
Supporting women in society is crucial for fostering a world that thrives on equality, justice, and compassion. Women, comprising half of the global population, play integral roles in various facets of life, yet they often face systemic challenges and gender-based violence that hinder their full participation and potential. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence serves as a poignant reminder of the pervasive issues women encounter and the urgent need for collective action.
We hope that through the data and stories shared in this article, we have inspired you to take action and support your local or global community of activists, organizations, and leaders in demanding gender equality and providing support for those affected by gender-based violence injustices.
If you want to know more about the philanthropic ecosystem in Kosovo, you can access the database Giving Kosovo and analyze the data yourself.
Want to know more about philanthropy and donations in Kosovo? Check out our report on the state of philanthropy - Giving Kosovo 2022.
This article is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Catalyst Balkans and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
The Citizen Engagement Activity in Kosovo is a five-year initiative implemented by the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
