Pristina, 10 January, 2025
Dear Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,
Dear Media,
This is my first address for the year 2025. We are starting it with a special dedication to the women and girls of the Republic of Kosovo, because the year 2025 will be the year of women in the Republic of Kosovo.
In our first mandate, we have taken numerous steps and decisions that have a positive impact on the lives and work of girls and women. Over 12 thousand women have been employed with direct government support. 51% of young people benefiting from the SuperPuna employment platform are girls. 55% of beneficiaries of the “Government for Families” employment measure are women. We have supported over 60 thousand mothers with allowances for them and for newborn children. About 100 thousand women have opened their bank accounts for the first time. Under our governance, the representation of women in public enterprises and public administration has increased significantly. Meanwhile, through our measures and policies, support for them has also increased significantly in entrepreneurship, agriculture, education, health and access to property.
And yet, we want to do even more, because even more is needed.
This commitment of ours today is a commitment that continues and increases for the economic and social empowerment of women, through new opportunities that increase their active participation in the labor market.
This year, that is, in 2025, we will work even harder to increase women’s access to property and inheritance, by raising awareness of their property and inheritance rights.
Our commitment to gender equality will include policies that reduce the gender gap in public institutions and professional sectors.
We will devote even more to the education of girls and women. As in their health, especially in the field of reproductive and mental health, guaranteeing access to quality, affordable and equal services.
An important priority remains the protection of women and girls from all forms of violence, with particular emphasis on domestic violence and sexual violence. We have already adopted the state strategy for protection from domestic violence and gender-based violence, as well as created mechanisms for free legal aid, shelter and rehabilitation of victims. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that women and girls live in a safe environment, without fear and without any form of threat.
The concept of women’s emancipation and empowerment, in which we believe and for which we work every day, is not related to the construction of artificial images for the promotion of women as cases of some rare spark of success. On the contrary, it is our promise and dedication to recognize and oppose the inequalities, discrimination and obstacles that all women experience in our society on a daily basis, which have often prevented them from realizing and experiencing the successes they deserve.
Therefore, the year 2025 will be a year of encouraging all women and girls to be leaders in every field – in politics, education, science, art, culture and sports. For this, we will make all state mechanisms available to regulate the balance of women’s well-being in the private and public spheres, with more public kindergartens for children, quality public education services, quality public health services and new employment opportunities. Thus, together we will increase women’s participation in society, not just their inclusion. Participation as a relationship report, where women give and benefit. They contribute to our social development and progress, and benefit from that same development and progress.
Thank you.
Last modified: January 10, 2025