This 2021 assessment sought to evaluate areas where progress has been achieved since 2015, and identify persistent obstacles impeding parity in women’s political participation and leadership. While women’s political participation has since made considerable gains, much more remains to be done. This assessment reveals that few of the most significant barriers have changed over the past six years. Major impediments to women’s participation in politics persist across parties which have failed to provide the necessary political, financial, and mentoring support to women.

Through this analysis, NDI underscored the need for widespread, institutionalized change to sustain the momentum from these recent elections. The recommendations and conclusions drawn from the research of this assessment, which included research, interviews, and focus groups, can inform political parties, government institutions, media, and civil society actors as they continue their work towards lasting change.

The findings and recommendations in this report offer a roadmap to bring women fully into Kosovo’s political landscape, especially in leadership positions, and ensure more equitable responses to citizen priorities. Thirteen years after independence, it is well past time to take these steps to address this deficit in Kosovo’s democracy.