In the past, laws and procedures on property rights in Kosovo were inconsistent and unclear, and discouraged domestic and foreign investments. Informal practices among family members and friends spawned confusion and created legal hurdles to inheriting property and proving ownership. In addition, women were often discouraged from claiming their property rights due to long-held societal norms, with enormous repercussions for women’s economic, social, and political inclusion in Kosovo. 

Over the past five years, USAID’s Property Rights Program, in partnership with the Government of Kosovo and civil society, supported the establishment of a modern property rights regime. With USAID support, the Government of Kosovo created and approved the National Strategy on Property Rights, and subsequently approved supporting legislation. Courts are instituting reforms to eliminate backlogs and rule on property cases in a timely manner. Inheritance rights are no longer a taboo subject, with surveys pointing to changing attitudes toward women and property rights. In 2015, only 18 percent of women had registered property under their names. In 2019, this figure increased to 40 percent. The percentage of women filing inheritance claims also jumped from 0.3 percent in 2015 to 14 percent in 2019.

Amid this progress, the program celebrated the end of activities on April 4, 2019. At the closing event, Mission Director Lisa Magno highlighted joint successes while adding that “overhauling the property rights regime in Kosovo is an ongoing, long-term issue—one that requires sustained commitment and effort from the government, the courts, civil society, and all Kosovo’s citizens.”