EESC met civil society organisations from Kosovo
Director of ODRAZ, Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, participated at the meeting of Western Balkans Follow-up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Kosovo civil society organizations, held in Prishtina on 29 March 2023.
The aim of the meeting was to listen to the views on the role of civil society in Kosovo, as well as to hear their concerns and convey these messages to the political authorities of Kosovo and the EU. Participants both, from Albanian and Serbian communities, were greeted by Arberie Nagavci, Minister of Education, Science and Technology.
Topics discussed:
▶️ 2023 – European Year of Skills: skills, education and policies for young people in Kosovo
▶️ The state of social dialogue in Kosovo
▶️ Providing space for the work of the civil sector in Kosovo.
The participants had the opportunity to hear, among others, experts from European Training Foundation (ETF), Kosovo Education Center, World Bank, ILO, Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo, Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Kosovo Foundation for Civil Society, deputy ombudsman and representatives of associations and others.
The discussion about the space for civil society was also interesting. Civil society has reached a certain level of development, but it still faces major challenges.
It was interesting to hear the experiences of some Kosovo associations, for example TOKA, whose focus is on education and youth development. They work with disadvantaged girls and young men to unlock their full potential, to acquire skills and to motivate them to be active citizens in their communities. They use both long-term volunteering and work-based learning as powerful platforms that enable these young people to grow
Some of the priorities of the Government of Kosovo were presented:
– improvement of the public consultation process
– transparency and inclusion of vulnerable groups
– strengthening standards for the provision of social services, in order to ensure the sustainability of associations
– development of volunteerism.
In providing support for the development of civil society, they use the framework that we developed in Croatia, for example, the Council for the Development of Civil Society. There is also a Strategy for Cooperation with Civil Society 2019 – 2023.
Meetings were also held with representatives of the EU Office, as well as with decision makers.
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