It is an honor to speak to you today about a topic that is close to my heart: peace and security, and the role of women in a changing society such as Kosovo.

Kosovo has made significant progress towards promoting gender equality and empowering women, including in its military and police force. Women have been increasingly recruited and integrated into these traditionally male-dominated institutions, and they have proven to be successful in their roles.

In recent years, we have seen a growing number of women serving in senior positions in Kosovo’s military and police force, demonstrating their capabilities and commitment to maintaining peace and security in the country. Their successes have paved the way for greater gender equality and have shown that women have an important role to play in these institutions.

However, there is still much work to be done. Despite the progress made, women in Kosovo’s military and police force continue to face challenges related to gender. To fully harness the potential of women’s participation in these institutions, we need to take concrete actions to address these challenges and promote gender-sensitive policies and practices.

This includes providing training and support for women in leadership positions, addressing issues of sexual harassment and gender-based violence, and promoting greater awareness and understanding of the unique contributions that women can make to peace and security. We also need to ensure that women’s voices are heard and their perspectives are taken into account in all aspects of decision-making related to peace and security.

In addition, we need to recognize and value the important role that women play in preventing and addressing conflict-related sexual violence. Women are often the most affected by such violence, but they are also powerful agents of change who can play a key role in preventing and responding to it.

So, let us celebrate the successes of women in Kosovo’s military and police force and continue our work towards building a peaceful, developed and fair world where women’s voices are heard, their contributions are valued, and their rights are protected. By working together, we can create a more just and equitable society for all. As a university, we are fully committed to and guided by this goal. 

Thank you.