In 2019, PRAVA ZA SVE participated in a regional research project “Funding the Women’s Movement in the Western Balkans” and coordinated the research process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the financial support of the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and regional coordination by the Kosovo Women’s Network.
The result of the project is the publication “Where’s the Money for Women’s Rights?”, which includes the accomplishments, funding trends and the needs of the women’s movement, based on conducted interviews with WCSOs and funders in Albania, BiH, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The publication was presented online on June 9, 2020, with speakers Petra Tötternam Andorff (Secretary-General of Kvinna till Kvinna), Lisa Bjuggstam from the Permanent Delegation of Sweden to the EU, Katarina Barley (Vice-president of the European Parliament), and Massimo Mina and Liselotte Isaksson from the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR). The results of the research and recommendations were presented by lead researcher Nicole Farnsworth from the Kosovo Women’s Network.
Maida Omerćehajić, Legal Advisor at PRAVA ZA SVE, spoke about the importance of supporting women’s rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic has disproportionally affected women, and consequently the work of WCSOs. The burden of their work is greater not only when it comes to providing services, but also to advocating for participation in decision making and for women’s health, economic and social rights. Supporting the work of women’s organizations means supporting the representation of women’s voices in all sectors”, says Omerćehajić.
The research findings emphasize the importance of fostering deeper dialogue of funders with WCSOs about their funding needs, best ways to address their needs, and best methods for furthering gender equality.