The role of civil society is extremely important in Kosovo at all stages.
Civil society has historically been one of the main pillars of social organization, playing a key role in protecting the public interest, documenting human rights violations, and overseeing government.
From the 90s, when citizens self-organized for survival under occupation, to the post-war and state-building period, the civil sector has directly reflected the political and social circumstances of the country, stated the activist of this sector, Taulant Hoxha.
In "Confrontation Podcast", Hoxha, former executive director of KCSF, emphasized that civil society should not be seen as a sector separate from society, but as a broad space that includes individuals, informal initiatives, and organizations that operate outside of political power, business, and family interests.
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"The state, business, and family are three separate fields. Any social action that does not belong to these falls within the domain of civil society," Hoxha emphasizes in "Përballje Podcast" with Telegraf editor-in-chief Muhamet Hajrullahu.
He emphasized that civic activism starts at the smallest levels, from a neighborhood or local community, and not necessarily from large organizations.
The three stages of civil society – from survival to state-building and oversight
According to Hoxha, in the 90s, civil society in Kosovo was almost equal to society itself, as citizens organized for parallel education, healthcare, humanitarian aid, and documentation of violence. After the war, the focus shifted to reconstruction, reconciliation, and institution-building, while NGOs became the main mechanism for channeling international funds.
"With the consolidation of institutions after the declaration of independence, a large part of civil society was profiled in areas such as lawmaking, policymaking and the fight against corruption. "Oversight was necessary, because with the building of the state, space for abuses also opened up," he emphasizes, writes Telegrafi.
Tulant Hoxha on the Podcast Confrontation with the editor-in-chief of Telegraf, Muhamet HajrullahuPhoto: Ridvan Slivova
Polarization and crisis of confidence
However, in recent years the sector has been facing new challenges. Hoxha estimates that social polarization, the dominance of daily agendas in the media, and the reduction of space for in-depth debate have directly impacted the role of civil society.
"The public space has been usurped by a very small number of people who talk about everything. This makes it difficult for the professional voices of civil society to be heard," he says, adding that many experts are hesitant to come out publicly due to the misuse of statements and the lack of integrity in the media debate.
Funds are falling, but civil society is not dying
The cessation or reduction of funding from international donors, including USAID, has created serious difficulties for many organizations. However, Hoxha emphasizes that civil society does not depend on funds, but on citizens.
"Civil society does not die without funding. It dies without citizens and without civic engagement," he declares, emphasizing the need to restore civic ownership of activism, build community spaces, and secure local funding, including from businesses and wealthy individuals.
Repositioning, not disappearance
According to Hoxha, civil society in Kosovo is not disappearing, but in a phase of repositioning. For the first time in many years, more and more bottom-up initiatives are emerging, led by the communities themselves and not dictated by donors.
"It is a process that requires time, strategy and cooperation. If organizations enter into a fight for survival against each other, everyone loses. The solution is coalitions and a clear division of roles," he concludes.
He also spoke about the future of civil society in Kosovo, the role of NGOs and the support of donors from many countries at the global level, starting from the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, France, Luxembourg and many other member states of the European Union and beyond. /Telegraph/
