The Women's Economic Forum has reacted to the Government of Kosovo, after its decision to remove the Labor Law from the Legislative Calendar.

The response states that despite repeated requests and multiple responses from interest groups, including a letter sent on February 15, 2024, the government has not taken any concrete action on this vital issue.

"This law has been in the process of change since 2018 and is considered essential for advancing gender equality and improving social welfare in the country. In the electoral campaign, the government had promised that social welfare would be among the main priorities, but until now the fundamental issues of the protection of labor rights and equality in Kosovo have not been addressed", the reaction states.

It is further emphasized that "Some of the key points that concern us are that only 2 out of 10 women are employed, and this reality has changed very little over time. Due to deficiencies in labor protection, women continue to perform informal work at home, without pay, without recognition, without protection of labor rights or without pensions, which affects their poverty later in life."  

“The current labor law directly affects the exclusion of women from the workforce due to gender discrimination in employment, as employers avoid the responsibility of paying maternity leave. Meanwhile, men do not have equal rights to spend time with their children. This law directly discriminates against fathers, violating their equal rights under the Gender Equality Law. Also, Kosovo has not yet harmonized the Labor Law with the EU Directive on the Balance between Work and Life, and still does not protect the rights of caregivers, the self-employed and many others", the reaction says.

The Women's Economic Forum also emphasizes that the further postponement of the adoption of amendments to the Law on Labor will result in the continuation of violations of the rights of women and men in Kosovo. We call on the government to immediately publish the new Bill for discussion, hold extensive consultations with all stakeholders, including women's rights organizations and trade unions, and include this essential law in this year's legislative calendar.

If concrete action is not taken within a short period, the Women's Economic Forum warns of widespread mobilization and continued reactions until the demands are met.