Women in Kosovo have struggled for years to overcome cultural bias and historical precedent, and break into leadership and decision-making roles.  Poor media coverage of both female politicians and women’s issues exacerbates this imbalance, and creates additional challenges for overcoming traditional gender stereotypes and attitudes in Kosovo.

To raise awareness and further empower women, USAID, through its Engagement for Equity (E4E) activity, teamed up with the Jahjaga Foundation to support a project on the role of media in promoting greater female participation in governance.  Through the project, the Jahjaga Foundation trained local female parliamentarians from Prizren and Ferizaj on advocacy and public speaking.  The project also worked with journalists to increase their awareness of issues that affect women and the perception of their role in society.  As part of the project, the trained journalists will publish stories portraying female politicians and their challenges through their respective media outlets.