Why does Kosovo need more women in municipal leadership?

Gender equality in Kosovo politics is quite unbalanced, and this finding is even more clearly supported by the overview of the results of the local elections - namely those for mayors in 2025. As a result of this electoral process, only one of the 38 municipalities in Kosovo will be led by a woman. Meanwhile, in today's reality, municipal executives have a responsibility to understand the needs of citizens, both men and women. Therefore, the representation of women in local government is a way to ensure gender-sensitive solutions.

Data from prestigious organizations that address gender equality show that where women lead, transparency, accountability and, above all, civic trust increase. In all three of the aforementioned pillars, local governance in Kosovo currently faces challenges. But, without going into the benefits of women's leadership, we must look at the reality of their representation in Kosovo, which, despite progress, still remains unequal and unjust.

The results of the 2025 local elections in Kosovo have shown that the increase in candidacy has not translated into real power. According to data published by the Democracy for Development (D4D) Institute, women's participation in mayoral elections has increased over the past eight years. From only 8 women candidates in 2017, the number has reached 20 candidates in 2025, an increase of 150%. At first glance, this is significant progress. But when we look at the results, the picture changes completely. In 2017, no women were elected mayor, in 2021 only two women won the race, and in 2025, out of 20 women candidates, only one managed to be elected mayor.

In total, according to D4D, out of 185 male candidates, 37 mayors were elected, and out of 20 female candidates, only 1 woman was elected. This represents less than 3% of those elected. These figures show that although the barriers to entering the race are easing, the obstacles to winning power in municipalities remain deep and structural. And, this difference is not just a matter of statistics, but an indication that the political system, namely political parties, continues to distrust women's leadership.

On the other hand, analyses by UN Women, credible European institutions and civil society organizations advocating for gender equality show that institutions led by women are distinguished by higher levels of transparency, accountability and public integrity. At the same time, they argue that this is related to the way women are included in politics with a model of leadership based on collaboration.

In fact, examples from around the world, such as Anne Hidalgo in Paris, Karin Wanngård in Stockholm, Muriel Bowser in Washington, and many other mayors, have proven that the presence of women in leadership roles has enabled more inclusive policies, more open communication, and more responsible decision-making.

Meanwhile, reports from UN Women, UNECE, the World Bank and UNDP confirm that the public is more likely to trust institutions led by women, especially at the local level where influence and contact are more direct. Meanwhile, for a country like Kosovo, where perceptions of corruption and distrust in institutions remain high, these are values ​​that should not be ignored.

Over the past few years, based on data published in the Evaluation Report of the Kosovo Program for Gender Equality (KPGE) 2020-2024, it appears that Kosovo has made some steps forward, but not enough to ensure equal gender representation.

The Law on Gender Equality requires 50% representation of each gender in all decision-making bodies, but the reality is that at the central level; in 2023, women held only 23.1% of senior management positions, although the target was 30%. Meanwhile, at the local level, the target of 30% for municipal directorates was exceeded, reaching 40.8 - which is one of the most positive data - while in the Municipal Assemblies, women's representation was 37%.

This data shows that institutions have become more open to women, but that the main barrier remains at the top of local executive power, precisely where their leadership would have the most visible impact on the community.

And, in a political reality where citizens demand more accountability, the presence of women in municipal leadership would translate into multiple benefits, as good examples show that women leaders pay more attention to transparency and public ethics; are more likely to consult the community and include marginalized groups; tend to build bridges of cooperation and avoid unnecessary conflicts, and behave less as authoritarian figures and more as bearers of democratic processes.

For these reasons, it is up to political parties to provide women with real support and not just quotas on paper. Financial support and structured leadership training should also be provided. In addition, the media should increase the space for women leaders and eliminate stereotypes in reporting, stimulating gender equality for leadership positions as well. In parallel, awareness-raising campaigns should be increased about the role of women in local government and the benefits of their leadership.

Given that there is often talk in Kosovo about the need for more transparent and trustworthy institutions, it should be remembered that women in leadership bring these values ​​into practice.

Therefore, if we want municipalities that respond to citizens, not narrow political and business interests, then we must open the door to half of the population. Not as a “favor” to women, but as an investment in our democracy. Gender equality in municipal leadership is paving the way towards better and more inclusive governance. Kosovo needs such a model. And, women have proven time and again that they can do this with full responsibility and self-confidence.

(This article was written as part of the project “She Leads: Combating Hate Speech and Promoting Women in Local Leadership”, implemented by Democracy for Development - D4D, and supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kosovo. The content reflects the opinions and positions of the author and does not necessarily represent the positions of the organization/donor.