Kosovo is witnessing a scenario where men continue to wield significant influence, extending even to businesses and banking, which exhibit a lack of trust in women.
As outlined in a recent report by the GAP Institute, women in Kosovo currently possess only 15% of real estate, significantly lower than the 74% held by their male counterparts. The remaining 11% of properties fall under the ownership of individuals or legal entities.
The report underscores a disconcerting absence of female representation as business proprietors within the financial market, underscoring the critical need for targeted interventions, such as affirmative measures, to rectify these imbalances.
Additionally, the study reveals that women’s ownership of business bank accounts in Kosovo is relatively low, constituting around 16% of the total. In contrast, men dominate this space, with 82% ownership, while 2% are jointly owned. Businesses owned by women in Kosovo carry 2.4 times less debt compared to those owned by men. Specifically, the active debt for women-owned businesses amounts to 642.6 million euros, whereas for men, it reaches 1.6 billion euros. Moreover, these businesses have 14.2 times fewer deposits, totaling only 111.9 million euros, compared to those owned by men, which hold deposits of 1.58 billion euros.
Similarly, individual accounts reflect a significant disparity, with women holding 2.42 times fewer deposits than men. The cumulative amount of deposits in women’s bank accounts is reported at 829.5 million euros, contrasting with men’s deposits, totaling 2.01 billion euros.
Over the past six years (2016-2022), the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund has played a role in supporting businesses, guaranteeing 12,653 loans. Notably, 14% of these loans, totaling 63.3 million euros, were directed to businesses owned by women. While the Guarantee Fund has made substantial contributions to financial education and facilitated access to finance for women, offering guarantees to overcome collateral challenges, there remains considerable work for policymakers to address.
Based on these findings, the GAP Institute recommends that policymakers, financial institutions, and relevant stakeholders actively promote financial education and inclusion for women. This can be achieved through targeted financing and investment programs, alongside the creation of opportunities for mentorship and networking. Furthermore, campaigns aimed at raising awareness among women and marginalized groups about their rights to land and assets, along with information distribution on legal frameworks, inheritance rights, and property registration processes, are deemed essential.
The report’s publication is made possible through support from USAID, under the Inclusive Economic Engagement Activity, in collaboration with CDF.
