UNMIK/FR/0036/01
FEATURE RELEASE - May 11, 2001

Women's Rights

UNMIK Focus on Kosovar Women: Advancement is Order of the Day

By Sera Attika

The Kosovo Action Plan for the Advancement of Women for the years 2001-2003 was compiled by the UNMIK Office of Gender Affairs (OGA) - the first special office to deal with gender issues within a UN peacekeeping mission around the world -in co-operation with UNDP and UNIFEM
A "living document, it reflects recommendations and concerns voiced by Kosovar women in numerous gender-related fora held in 2000.  Its aim is to advance the status of the women of Kosovo regardless of their religion, age, ethnicity, cultural background or possible disability.  The Plan's six priority themes include: poverty reduction and economic empowerment; education, science and culture; health care; violence against women; legislation and women's rights and monitoring of implementation of the plan; and gender mainstreaming. (See table)
OGA's aim throughout the Plan's preparation and presentation process was that it should be as inclusive as possible. As a consequence, representatives from different Kosovar women's organizations were satisfied that the document adequately addressed their priority concerns, when they met to discuss it on 26 February 2001.

Endorsing it, SRSG Hans Haekkerup urged the co-operation of UNMIK Pillar Heads, JIAS Co-Heads and UN agencies for the Plan's implementation through their policies, programmes and activities.  It is expected that those in the governmental positions, i.e. the JIAS structure and UN agencies will work alongside local groups to ensure that within their realm of responsibility they adopt the concerns of Kosovar women as addressed in the plan. 
The implementation of the Plan also falls within the guidelines provided by the Beijing Platform for Action established by the Fourth UN Conference on Women in September 1995.  It is a platform that constitutes an agenda for women's empowerment, creates a new international commitment to the goals of gender equality, development and peace for all women, and sets the global agenda for the advancement of women in the twenty-first  century.  It defines a set of strategic objectives and spells out actions to be taken by Governments, the international community, non-governmental organizations and the private sector for the removal of the existing obstacles to women's advancement.  
 In the future, envisioned by the Plan's compilers, Kosovar women will improve their economic position mainly through better access to employment. Those in poverty will have equal access to financial assistance and receive special attention if they are heads of households or are still living in tents as a result of the war. Women will also gain the right to inheritance.
 
Background

UNMIK's Office of Gender Affairs provides policy advice and guidance on mainstreaming a gender perspective into the mandate and the activities of the various components of the mission according to the Security Council Resolution 1325(2000), on Women, Security and Peace, adopted on 31 October 2000. This landmark resolution - in the sense that it was the first time that the Security Council specifically addressed women's concerns within its mandate to protect international peace and security -seeks to improve the protection of women and girls during armed conflict and encourages the participation of women in conflict-prevention and peace - keeping and peace - building.

The Office's activity promotes the issue of women's participation in public life and decision-making. The Office has set up institutional mechanisms to address gender policy issues. These policies are developed to ensure that the legal system, the judiciary and the police are gender-sensitive that the various needs of women are met, and that woman's interests are included in the general elections and in the legal framework for self-government.

Note for editors
The full document may be consulted online in English at http://www.unmik.org/. Albanian and Serbian versions can be provided.

For a selection of photographs, please contact Mr Ky Chung at 038 504-604 ext. 5467

Contact: Peter Ellwood
(038) 504 604 Ext. 5471
E-mail: ellwood@un.org