This publication presents the key findings and recommendations from the Promoting Rural Women’s Empowerment in Kosovo project, jointly implemented by UN Women and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with support from the Austrian Development Agency. The project tackles structural barriers, entrenched gender norms, and inequalities that limit rural women’s participation in economic activities, access to resources, and decision-making power within the agricultural sector.
Focusing on the municipalities of Istog, Skenderaj, and South Mitrovica, the research draws on both quantitative and qualitative data. This includes a survey of 459 rural women—21% from ethnic minority communities and 7% women with disabilities—along with focus group discussions and interviews with gender-based violence (GBV) survivor advocates. The findings reveal rural women’s extensive but largely unpaid contributions to agrifood systems, alongside limited access to training, financial resources, markets, and modern technologies. Challenges are further compounded by climate change and persistent gender norms.
The publication highlights the potential of agriculture to serve as a pathway for economic recovery and empowerment, particularly for GBV survivors. It identifies critical gaps in resources and long-term support, emphasizing the need for interventions that strengthen women’s access to productive assets, climate-resilient farming practices, tailored training, market linkages, and community networks, while also promoting social recognition of women’s contributions to rural development.
By centering on women’s lived experiences, the report provides evidence-based recommendations to guide policy and programming. Its insights aim to advance gender-responsive, inclusive, and sustainable rural development in Kosovo, with lessons applicable to broader contexts across the region.
