A woman who has left her mark on the history of Kosovo, relentlessly committed to peace and equality. Empowering women is her priority, and she aims to advance the cause of economically strong women as a member of the Assembly of Kosovo. This is Valdete Idrizi - a prominent activist who is running on the Democratic Party of Kosovo list in the February 9 elections.
Her name has been known since the 1990s, with her commitment to important causes. She was an active part of the student movement against the then Milosevic regime.
Now at peace, Idrizi focuses on the development of women and girls.
Within the framework of the PDK program, "Kosovo can do better", Idrizi says that, among other things, a platform has been envisaged for women that provides facilities in businesses, studies, but also for mothers who are expecting.
"There are some vital causes that I have been dealing with my whole life, they are women - half of the population. Girls and women are actually in all five priorities of the 'Kosovo Can Do Better' program, they are women indirectly involved, but there is also a special program for the empowerment of women and girls that we will deal with because I was also involved in the drafting of the program. We can never talk about the economic empowerment of women without economically empowering them. Both in health, in education, and in the economy. But since I am from Mitrovica and have lived in Mitrovica all my life, of course I will also be the voice of the citizens of Mitrovica and other demands, especially the welfare of the citizens," she declares.
In addition to increasing women's representation in politics and equality in decision-making, Idrizi emphasizes that several facilities have been provided for their economic empowerment.
"There are programs, tax incentives, fiscal reforms, which will be fully implemented in sustainable economic development, but businesses that are also led by women will have the opportunity to receive support through subsidies and grants. Up to 10 thousand euros in turnover will not be taxed, it will be much easier to start a business, and if they want to expand it after a while, they will receive a 30 percent subsidy from the state so that it can grow. The next step will be to increase salaries, we are talking about 84 thousand citizens, women and men, who receive their salaries through state funds, their salaries will be increased by 50 percent. This direct method of course also helps women because then there is the unemployment fund that if a woman or girl or man and boy, if they lose their job in the private sector, then it will be a sustainable state fund, where they will receive 80 percent of their salary for six months," Idrizi adds.
The platform for women, among other things, provides for a subsidy of 100 euros for each child sent to private daycare.
PDK candidate for deputy, Valdete Idrizi, also speaks about violence against women and the need to improve legislation to ensure their protection and the punishment of violence.
"Shelters should be strengthened and not made into a form of 'begging', unfortunately as has happened. They should be provided with the conditions to treat the victim and not be traumatized twice, but to make it easier for them. On the other hand, work should also be done with justice so that all those perpetrators are not released in regular procedure, but that the necessary measures are taken. This means that there should be an amendment to some laws", she says. Candidate for MP, Valdete Idrizi says she will also be the voice of the citizens of Mitrovica, the municipality where she comes from.
With number 36, she seeks the trust of citizens in the February 9 elections, for which she promises to be their "extended hand" and great collaborator.
She believes in the support of citizens, based also on her work as a member of the seventh legislature of the Assembly of Kosovo.
"[The citizens] know that I will be an extended hand and we will cooperate and that way we can bring good to this state of ours. I spoke briefly about Mitrovica because I have worked in Mitrovica, but I, being the director of the CiviKos platform for many years, have known both the troubles and the potential in other municipalities, so I will be a great collaborator," she concludes.
Idrizi was also committed to building peace and coexistence.
In 2001, she founded the organization “Community Building Mitrovica” (CBM), a platform that for more than two decades has served as a bridge between the divided communities of Mitrovica. She led CBM for 10 years, launching many innovative projects.
Idrizi was also the co-founder of the Rock School in Mitrovica - an initiative to bring young people together through music, and the founder of a women's center, where dozens of women and girls have been empowered.
For more than five years, she also led the CiviKos Platform - the largest network of civil society organizations in Kosovo, which includes over 200 organizations.
Author of many prestigious awards for her many years of work, including the "International Woman of Courage" from the US Department of State, becoming the first Albanian woman to receive this award.
Idrizi has also been honored with the Soroptimist International Peace Prize in Amsterdam and the WIFTS Peace Award in London - an award he dedicated to victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo.
