During the global “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence,” the UN Kosovo Team and its partners are joining efforts to advance the right of every person to live free from violence. Through coordinated advocacy, outreach, and community engagement, UN entities across the territory are supporting a series of actions designed to empower survivors, strengthen prevention, and reinforce inclusive services.This year’s programme brings together initiatives led or directly supported by UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, UN-Habitat, IOM, and the Office of the UN Development Coordinator. Activities highlight multisector involvement, with a particular focus on youth empowerment, safe public spaces, community dialogue, and strengthened institutional responses in line with international human rights standards.The live calendar below provides an overview of the confirmed events facilitated or co-facilitated by the UN system throughout the 16-day campaign. Each activity aims to promote awareness, broaden outreach, and encourage collective action to end all forms of gender-based violence. 

Sparks scatter across the concrete floor as Faton Behluli, a 35-year-old craftsman from the Ashkali community, shapes metal into something new — strong, useful, and full of purpose. “I used to do manual work for others,” he says, setting down his tools for a moment. “It was exhausting — both physically and mentally. Today, I have my own workspace, my own equipment, and peace of mind knowing that my work sustains my family.”For years, Faton worked wherever he could find a job — in construction sites, repairing doors, or helping neighbors with small metalwork tasks. Despite his skill, the lack of proper tools kept him from moving forward. “A craftsman without tools is like having hands you can’t use,” he says.Everything changed when he was selected as a beneficiary of the Community Stabilization Programme (CSP), implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and funded by the European Union, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communities and Return.Through the programme, Faton received the essential equipment he had long needed — a welding machine and metal processing tools and equipment. With this support, he was finally able to open his own small garage, transforming his skills into a stable livelihood. “These tools changed everything,” he says with a proud smile. “Before, I depended on others. Now, I have my own workshop. I can plan my day, manage my work, and provide for my family without worrying about tomorrow.”Each day, Faton puts his equipment to use — welding, fixing, and creating. He has even started working occasionally with his cousins, offering them small paid jobs. “We’re continuing the trade passed down from our fathers and grandfathers,” he says. “When we work together, we’re not just earning; we’re keeping a tradition alive.”Looking ahead, Faton hopes to expand his business and acquire more professional machines so he can employ others on a regular basis. “Many young people want to work but don’t have the means,” he explains. “With the right tools, everything is possible.” For Faton, the support meant more than just new equipment — it gave him a renewed sense of dignity and control over his life. “Without this help, it would have been much harder,” he admits. “Now I can provide for my family, stay organized, and live without fear of what tomorrow brings.”Through the EU-funded Community Stabilisation Programme (CSP), IOM has helped individuals like Faton turn their skills into sustainable livelihoods — empowering families and strengthening communities across Kosovo.Story also published at IOM Kosovo site LINK 

Like most of his peers, he spent hours scrolling through the internet, to passively absorb news and other content that the Internet provides. He says he has never done much research. He had some basic knowledge of the media and information.Martin decided to attend the course "Basics of Media Literacy - Understanding the Media, Disinformation and Manipulation" which consists of 4 workshops.  Through the workshops the participants learned to recognize fake news, check sources, and understand how the media can manipulate content. This course has prompted Martin to understand and analyze the role of the media, as well as pay attention and critically look at the content he watches on the Internet every day, but also to reconsider his own attitudes. Educating young people on responsible media usage can significantly reduce youth conflicts by helping them develop critical thinking skills, recognize misinformation, and communicate more respectfully both online and offline. This activity is part of a broader program focused on peer-to-peer conflict resolution capacity building, as well as strengthening students’ skills in empowerment and active participation in decision-making processes. By combining media literacy with these key competencies, the program fosters a more inclusive, respectful, and resilient school environment.The project Youth Empowered through Inclusive Schools and Societies (YESS), supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, takes a bottom-up, community-based approach, using schools and their surrounding communities as entry points to engage young girls and boys, especially those from marginalized groups historically underrepresented in decision-making. The PBF YESS project targets 11 municipalities and 54 schools. It started in January 2024 and up to now it has reached more than 8,600 students and young people (60% female) and nearly 600 teachers (68% female) from Albanian, Serbian, Goran, Bosnian, Roma, Turkish, and Croatian backgrounds. The interventions have included capacity-building training and workshops on conflict resolution, peer mediation, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence, along with awareness-raising activities, residential trainings, coaching sessions, youth camps, and language courses.For Martin, these workshops were more than just extracurricular activities. They opened up new, unknown spaces. "The workshops further broadened my horizons and helped me to recognize with certainty what is accurate information and what is not," says Martin. "I used to take everything for granted, but now I'm analyzing and verifying information. I feel like I've become more mature in my thinking," he adds. Now, Martin doesn't hesitate to make his voice heard, he uses the arguments he knows how to back it up, and, most importantly, he feels empowered and more confident in public discussions. "Now I notice much faster when someone is trying to cover up the truth. I know that I look at multiple sources and that I don't draw conclusions right away. I feel more confident when discussing topics related to media and information. I'm no longer afraid to express my opinion, because I have arguments and I know how to substantiate them," Martin explains the importance of empowering young people through this approach. He adds that people from his environment, parents, teachers, friends, have noticed a change in him due to his participation in these activities. "They've noticed a change. They say that I think more maturely and responsibly, and some have even started to inquire about the topics I mentioned. They are proud of me," says MartinHe even shared with them what, he had heard and learned. "I talked to friends; I even shared some useful links and tips that I received during the workshops."This, he says, is the most important experience of participating in these activities."The most inspiring thing for me was when I realized that I can also influence others – when I shared some useful information and saw that others took it seriously," says this charming high school student.Martin thinks it's important for young people to understand how the media works and how to protect themselves from misinformation. He believes that this is the knowledge that everyone needs, and that is why he has a message for his peers, when it comes to such programs."I would tell them not to hesitate and to take the opportunity to learn something useful. These programs can really change the way we look at the world around us, they are for me," says Martin.Martin's story is more than a personal success story. This is the story of a young boy, a high school student, who is dedicated to his development and education and who strives to use the knowledge and skills he acquires not only for his own progress, but also for the benefit of the environment in which he lives. Through participation in various programs, Martin actively contributes to the creation of an empowered, solidary and educated society.  Through education, dialogue and programmes such as the YESS project, young people like Martin not only learn how to understand the media, but also become active promoters of peace and understanding in their communities.Through the YESS program, from March to June, Kontakt Plus organized four workshops on the topic "Basics of Media Literacy - Understanding the Media, Disinformation and Manipulation", for primary and secondary school students from the regions of Kamenica/ë, Štrpce/Shtërpcë, Mitrovica North and Zubin Potok/ Zubinpotok.Fifty-two (52) students from schools from Serbian communities in Kosovo participated in training in the field of media and media literacy, with the aim of developing critical thinking, understanding of media content and the ability to recognize disinformation. During the workshops, students had the opportunity to get acquainted with the analysis of media content, as well as the responsible use of social networks. The training is designed to provide young people with the tools they need to navigate in the modern information environment and contribute to their more active and informed participation in society.The lecturer, Professor of Sociology Slobodan Miljković, pointed out that media literacy is as important as primary education today, because children and young people are coming into contact with a large amount of information that can shape their thinking and behavior on a daily basis.He believes that these types of workshops are crucial, because through the informal form of education, a very important topic is studied. "Students then, through the spontaneous work, talk, share their opinions and in the best possible way absorb certain knowledge, which will be part of their identity and critical thinking," says Miljković. He adds that there should not be a certain pattern of what children should know about media literacy, but that work should be done to build critical thinking among students, children, so that they can independently recognize manipulation and fake news, from the true and real one."It's a process that needs to be worked on in order to have a healthy environment and a healthy society. Precisely because the media are all around us, and children are non-stop on their phones, and the Internet is a platform that allows everyone to be in the role of a journalist, but also a consumer of the news," concludes Professor Miljković, who prepared and led the workshops.The production of this content is supported by UNICEF's program in Kosovo in partnership with the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, the UN Team in Kosovo, and the International Organization for Migration in Kosovo – IOM. 

The data collection focused on demographics, education levels, employment status, and other key indicators. Approximately 4,400 surveyors conducted in-person interviews across municipalities and communities. On April 5, 2024, a comprehensive census was completed, marking the first such exercise in over a decade. The data collection focused on demographics, education levels, employment status, and other key indicators. Approximately 4,400 surveyors conducted in-person interviews across municipalities and communities.Trime Ismaili, one of the census enumerators, personally surveyed around 300 households during the process.“Creating a friendly and welcoming environment during the data collection process is crucial,” she says, adding, “We were instructed to often engaged in casual conversations, making respondents feel comfortable and more willing to participate. We were well trained and well prepared.”She emphasized the importance of approachability in her work:“I often started interactions with a smile and a positive attitude, stating: ‘I am here to register you.’ And people knew exactly why I was there. I believe the media campaign made its point, so all we had to do was introduce ourselves and ask questions. In case nobody was home, we left a calling card, and sometimes neighbours would help set up a meeting.” Ovaj proces, čija je procenjena vrednost oko 12 miliona evra, finansiran je uglavnom od strane institucija Kosova, uz pomoć stručnjaka iz sistema Ujedinjenih nacija.Šef GIS jedinice u istitucije statistiku, gospodin Idriz Šalja, rado govori o kvalitetu sprovedenog rada:
„Ključni alati i znanja koje su obezbedile Ujedinjene nacije započeli su uz podršku UNFPA, kroz više obuka u periodu od dve godine. Svetska banka nam je obezbedila besplatan softver Survey Solutions, koji smo prilagodili našim potrebama i sistemu. UNDP, UNECE i UNFPA su nas konstantno podržavali u svim pripremnim i terenskim fazama.“„Imali smo sreću da popis sprovedemo nakon naših suseda, tako da smo mnogo naučili iz njihovih iskustava i razmene u regionu – iz popisa u Albaniji, Severnoj Makedoniji i Hrvatskoj – i verujem da smo na Kosovu odradili još bolji posao,“ tvrdi gospodin Šalja. „Moram da kažem,“ dodaje on, „da je više od 90% popisivača radilo izuzetno dobro.“ UNFPA supported KAS with production of 4 PSA videos in 5 local languages, Albanian, Serbian, Turkish and Romani, including sign language, prepared in collaboration with Statistics Agency and broadcasted widely on public RTK channels before and during the census.Video 1 in Albanian and sign language:   Other three videos in Albanian, LINK2, LINK3 and LINK4. All four videos in Serbian: LINK1, LINK2, LINK3 and LINK4. Turkish language: LINK1, LINK2, LINK3 and LINK4 Romani language: LINK1, LINK2, LINK3 and LINK4In addition to the materials above a social media campaign led by KAS and followed by Kosovo mayors and prominent individuals was ongoing during the whole exercise, covering major channels and social media. Adherence to Highest International StandardsThe UNECE provided assistance on statistics and demographics, essential in establishing a solid foundation for the census operations. In addition, in order to ensure the quality of the enumeration and field work, specialists from Regional office of UNECE and UNFPA were on the ground during the census exercise to evaluate the quality of work, thus ensuring it met international standards while promoting inclusivity and demographic resilience elements. From strengthening institutional capacity to spearheading public awareness campaigns, UNFPA supported the "KAS" at every stage. Efforts focused on training staff, engaging the public, and ensuring representation of those in vulnerable situations. Beyond data collection, UNFPA is now analysing census findings to inform policies on aging, gender equality, and youth inclusion, reinforcing its commitment to turning data into action for sustainable development in Kosovo.  "From the early stages of census preparation to ensuring broad public awareness, UNFPA has been a driving force—strengthening communication, building institutional capacity, and turning data into action to advance good governance, inclusivity, and demographic resilience in Kosovo."-Visare Mujko Nimani, UNFPA Head of OfficeUNDP managed a reserve list of enumerators and provided robust support for data analysis post-enumeration. This step is crucial for validating the results and ensuring the data's accuracy and reliability. All participating agencies contributed valuable input to the questionnaire, ensuring it was comprehensive and tailored to capture the necessary demographic information.During the census, the focus shifted to bolstering the capabilities of the "KAS". This included training and resources to handle the logistical challenges of the censusThe assistance provided by UNDP for the housing and population census in Kosovo played a crucial role in guaranteeing an inclusive census process that offers important information for policymakers, planners, and researchers. This support enables them to make informed decisions and allocate resources efficiently. Following the principle of leaving no one behind, UNDP made sure that the census was carried out in public residential facilities including prisons, mental health institutions, and elderly homes. Nuno Queiros, -UNDP Resident Representative The census in Kosovo was marked by effective training, strong field support, and a collaborative approach, resulting in a successful data collection process. The final data was published on 19 December 2024 and can be found in the LINK.