RURAL WOMEN

Rural women across the Western Balkans play a vital role in agriculture and rural development, yet they face persistent barriers to economic opportunities and social equality. Despite their significant contributions, these women often struggle with limited access to land, financial resources, education, healthcare, and decision-making power, which impedes their full participation and sector advancement. Traditional social norms, gender discrimination, and unequal distribution of resources further restrict their full participation in the economic and political life.

To address these challenges, a coalition of NGOs and advocacy groups from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia united to form the Regional Platform for Improving the Social and Economic Status of Rural Women in the Western Balkans—a unified network that advocates for gender equality, rural development, and the empowerment of women.

These challenges often drive rural women and youth into poverty and migration, further eroding the social fabric of rural communities.

Through advocacy, policy dialogue, awareness-raising, capacity building, and cross-border cooperation, the regional platform seeks to amplify the voice and agency of rural women in the Western Balkans.

Together, we strive to empower rural women across the region—transforming challenges into opportunities and building a more equitable and sustainable future for all.