The energy sector in Kosovo has been traditionally dominated by men.  Up until 2017, women held only 10 percent of jobs in the energy sector, and most were in administrative positions.  However, in 2017 with USAID funding, a group of women working in the energy sector established the Association of Women in Energy Sector in Kosovo (AWESK) to assist women in overcoming the challenges posed by the energy sector.  The association works to ensure that Kosovo’s energy strategies and policies are gender-sensitive, while also amplifying the contributions of women in energy.  Since its formation, AWESK has grown quickly and currently boasts 140 members throughout Kosovo.  

Like many nascent NGOs in Kosovo, AWESK faced challenges in developing as an organization over the last three years.  To address these difficulties, USAID funded a training program for AWESK that consisted of 13 skills-building workshops.  The program focused on three main components: organizational capacity development, communications strategy and product development, and networking opportunities with other associations with links to women in energy.  

During the ceremony marking the end of the training program, USAID Mission Director Lisa Magno remarked on the organization’s potential, “Your association can be a powerful vehicle for advocating for more women in the energy sector.  It can inspire more women to join and to push for equality in the workplace.”  With these new leadership and energy-related technical skills gained during the training, the 52 participants are now poised to increase their engagement with more women and girls in Kosovo’s energy sector.

USAID’s Kosovo Energy Security of Supply activity implemented the capacity-building training program for AWESK from February to June 2020.