Press Release: Friends of Europe hosts a Working Group on women’s economic empowerment in Pristina, Kosovo

Press Releases

Peace, Security & Defence

7 Apr 2023

Pristina, Kosovo, April 7 – Friends of Europe, a Brussels-based think tank, is proud to announce that the third meeting of the Working Group on women’s economic empowerment is taking place today in Pristina, Kosovo.

Building upon the success of the first two meetings, held in 2022, this Working Group will focus on women in rural areas and women in agriculture. The event brings together over 35 experts from national and local government representatives, European and international institutions, civil society, academia and the private sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the economic development of the Western Balkans, making it more important than ever to create new opportunities for women in the regional labour market. The Working Group’s aim is to identify the challenges to women achieving greater economic empowerment in the Western Balkans and provide recommendations for overcoming them.

The meeting will address a range of questions, including how to monitor and evaluate policies and activities that promote the economic empowerment of women in rural areas and the agriculture sector, and how technology, research and innovation can help to open up the labour market to women in these areas. The event will also explore how best practices can strengthen labour rights, promote opportunities for rural women and women in agriculture, and enable broader access to training opportunities.

The meeting will involve highly regarded experts in the field, including national and local representatives from the Western Balkans such as Edona Maloku Bërdyna, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology of Kosovo; Oksana Pak, Associate Director for Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship at the EBRD; and Daniela Gašparíková, UNDP Resident Representative for Montenegro, and academic experts in women’s economic empowerment.

Friends of Europe is an independent think tank that seeks real solutions by transforming mindsets through the confrontation of ideas, breaking down silos between politicians, businesses, and civil society. As part of its Balkan Journey initiative, Friends of Europe aims to create new dynamics in the Western Balkans, promoting economic development and regional cohesion.

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For more information or to request an interview please contact Seán Flynn, Press Officer at Friends of Europe below:

Seán Flynn | Press Officer

Friends of Europe

+353 86 064 4317

sean.flynn@friendsofeurope.org