IADK supports women and girls on the International Day of Rural Women

The theme of the International Day of Rural Women (October 15), "Rural women who grow good food for all," highlights the crucial role that rural women and girls play in the world's food systems.

This day also honors thousands of women living in isolated areas in Kosovo and recognizes their achievements and contributions to agricultural and rural development. Women contribute to their families, perform household chores, and care for children and the elderly. IADK wants to draw attention to the fact that despite their contributions, women still face a higher level of poverty compared to men.

In rural areas, women have limited opportunities to work due to insufficient supply of childcare. Thus, the unemployment rate is higher in rural areas and among women, and fewer women start businesses compared to men in Kosovo. This is directly related to the lower benefit from further grants and subsidies.

IADK empowers women in rural areas of Kosovo by supporting those who wish to enter the labor market or start a business from home in the form of professional training, marketing training, grant support, and professional equipment to facilitate their engagement in various sectors of agriculture and food processing.

Today, in honor of the International Day of Rural Women, the Executive Director of IADK and the project staff honored the 5 most engaged women in vegetable cultivation and processing various products with several symbolic gifts: Advije Maxhuni, Sabile Xhaka, Lumturije Hyseni, Fitnete Krasniqi, and Hava Popova.

Nerxhivane Krasniqi from the village of Zhilivodë, Vushtrri municipality, with a motivation to advance professionally and contribute to empowering other women as well, participated in many trainings and activities within the framework of IADK that enabled her to start a family business producing fruit and vegetable products. The Executive Director awarded a reward for her commitment, producing a variety of products, and presenting them at the fair organized within the project.

To add even more value to the International Day of Rural Women, the Executive Director added another beneficiary, Ms. Fatmire Demiri from the village of Pirq, municipality of Mitrovica, to the list of beneficiaries.

Ms. Fatmire participated in professional training within the framework of the "Fruit, Vegetable, and Similar Preservative" program, which also successfully obtained certification with

a valid certificate in this sector.

While we appreciate the work and success of women in Kosovo, the commitment and effort of Lumturije Hyseni from the village of Sllovi, Lipjan municipality, was also published and promoted in Swiss newspapers, and on the same day, Ms. Lumturie was gifted the published article.

The activities were made possible within the framework of the project "Empowering Youth and Women from Rural Areas through Inclusion in Agriculture and Food Processing," CFD.