NDI/Kosovo’s 25-Year Journey: Building Democracy, One Step at a Time

One of the world's newest democracies, Kosovo's citizens have built a vibrant independent democracy that is increasingly accountable to its citizens and promotes transparency and gender equality. Over the last quarter century, NDI has been Kosovo's partner every step of the way, dedicated to fostering democratic values, observing elections, enhancing parliamentary affairs, and supporting political party work, with a special focus on women and youth.

Key to the nation's independence was NDI's late chair, Madeleine Albright, who was a strong supporter of Kosovo, including during her time as Secretary of State. She was instrumental in forging much of NDI's work in Kosovo, and her legacy lives on today with NDI/Kosovo's robust program.

A Vision Born from Conflict to Independence

As the Yugoslav Republic collapsed at the end of the Cold War, the Balkans suffered campaigns of ethnic cleansing. The 1999 conflict that tore Kosovo apart after years of strife left over 13,500 dead or disappeared and communities divided. But it also opened the door to Kosovo's independence and a democratic future based on human rights, inclusive political institutions, and a constitutional form of government confirmed by the people. During this tumultuous time, NDI opened its office in October 1999 in Pristina, Kosovo.

The early days were fraught with challenges, ranging from big issues like the mistrust and antagonism among ethnic groups to mundane challenges of electricity shortages and horrible roads. With a small group of passionate activists operating out of a modest office and relying heavily on local staff and interns, NDI conducted voter education campaigns in remote villages, often traveling on foot to reach the most marginalized communities. Their efforts paid off over the years as voter turnout began to increase, and people started to understand the power of their vote.

As the program grew, so did its impact. To help build confidence in the electoral process, the NDI team trained, supported and organized local civil society organizations to deploy hundreds of observers across the country during elections. (Since 2016, local organizations have taken over these tasks without NDI support.) The effort was critical to ensuring the integrity of Kosovo's electoral processes, helping to deter electoral fraud and ensure transparency and show the citizens that democracy can work if they engage.

In 2008, Kosovo declared independence. NDI/Kosovo turned immediately to helping this new nation build sovereign, accountable institutions. New norms were needed, including finding and training public servants accountable to the people and creating a political culture that honored deeply held traditions, while making room for new ideas among the two-thirds of Kosovars under the age of thirty.

Building Democracy's Pillars: Parliament and Political Parties

One of the first steps Kosovo took after the war was to establish the Assembly of Kosovo in 2001, seeking to build a participatory, transparent system accountable to the people. NDI began immediately helping to ensure its accountability. A particular highlight was in 2005 when Madeleine Albright addressed the Assembly, inspiring those gathered, saying they had "the opportunity to make this Assembly a model of its kind: effective and responsive, democratic and fair."

Another highlight of NDI and Albright's engagement was her assistance in launching the Women's Caucus in 2005, comprised of female members of Parliament from all parties seeking to promote effective representation of women as a way of empowering women. A powerful force for change, the Women's Caucus has since worked to strengthen laws promoting gender equality, pushed for more women Ambassadors and negotiators, women's health, electoral reforms, and combating domestic violence. Its ongoing impact was evident in the spring of 2024 when it convened two important regional meetings of legislators to review progress in and underscore the importance of having women engaged in conflict resolution at all levels, as urged by UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Over the years, NDI has supported the operations of the parliament, helping it become one of the most transparent in the region. It offered expertise on the administration of the parliament, organizing training programs for newly elected Members of Parliament, focusing on legislative procedures, constituency outreach and ethical governance. Following the Assembly's adoption of the global Declaration for Parliamentary Openness, NDI helped establish the Forum for Parliamentary Transparency in 2016. This Forum has brought together MPs from across the political spectrum, civil society representatives, and parliamentary staff, who have worked together to enhance parliamentary transparency and accountability, especially in guiding the adoption of updated Rules of Procedure in 2022. NDI's close partnership continues, exemplified by the 2023 agreement between NDI and the Speaker of the Parliament to support the creation of a Parliamentary Institute to house key experts to support MPs, a post-legislative scrutiny mechanism for parliamentary transparency and accountability, and citizen outreach and inclusion.

Recognizing the critical role political parties play in a democracy, NDI also initiated programs to foster political party development, including facilitating dialogue between different political parties, encouraging a culture of cooperation among parties and Kosovo's ethnic groups - both in parliament, and in cross party and interethnic platforms NDI initiated. Workshops on party organization, campaign strategies and policy development were conducted, with a particular emphasis on inclusivity and representation.

The efforts bore fruit as elections occurred from 2001 onwards, in which smaller and newer parties managed to secure significant seats in parliament. This diversification of the political landscape brought fresh perspectives and ideas into the legislative process, enriching the democratic fabric of the nation.

Advanced the Empowerment of Women, Youth, and Non-Majority Communities

From the beginning, one of the cornerstones of NDI's mission has been the empowerment of women and youth within political parties and civil society, recognizing that a truly democratic society must be inclusive of all voices. Launching targeted programs to encourage women's participation in politics and governance, NDI's programs in Kosovo have included training sessions on leadership, public speaking, and policy advocacy, equipping women with the skills needed to take on leadership roles. Overall, NDI helped more than 7,000 women increase their public profile and facilitated the engagement of 4,700 youth in political processes. NDI has engaged over 2,500 participates from all seven non-majority communities

Since 2012, NDI has held its signature Week of Women (WoW) program, bringing together over 1,000 women and men to empower local women leaders with the skills to assume greater leadership positions. Since then, the program has become a critical venue for policy debate and intensive discussions with leading politicians and elected officials. WoW enables participants - women and men from political parties, civil society, business, media, and academia - to hold their representatives accountable while shining a spotlight on the advancement of women in leadership. It also offers a powerful network to support and mentor future leaders.

The face of politics in Kosovo is beginning to change. In 2021, the Assembly elected its second woman president and two women were appointed as deputy prime ministers. Women occupy one-third of the positions of the current cabinet and chair eight out of 14 parliamentary committees. In the 2021 local elections, more than 60 percent of women were elected without relying on a quota, many of whom are alumni of NDI's leadership programs. Their election is a powerful symbol of progress and a source of inspiration for countless women across the country.

Youth engagement was another critical focus area. NDI established many forums where young people could discuss political issues, propose solutions, and engage with policymakers. These platforms not only nurtured future leaders but also ensured that the voices of the younger generation were heard in the corridors of power: many of them ended up as MPs, Ministers and mayors.

Kosovo's path to democracy required overcoming deep-seated ethnic divides. NDI, over the years, played a pivotal role in this regard, bringing together Kosovo-Albanians, Kosovo-Serb, and other communities to create bridges that crossed ethnic differences. Initiatives like youth schools and forums where young people from different backgrounds could discuss political issues and propose solutions were instrumental in fostering a sense of unity and common purpose.

Information Integrity

Democracy in Kosovo is threatened by information disorders that promote political division, anti-democratic narratives and misogyny. Foreign-based false narratives, especially Kremlin-based media, promote false and misleading information. In response, since 2020, NDI/Kosovo has been developing and strengthening local capacities to monitor, detect, analyze and combat information disorders.

With the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, NDI provided mentorship to Kosovo's young journalists as they developed analysis and reporting on information disorders. NDI's platforms for discussion and internal dialogue on how to support information integrity among the stakeholders include local and regional Information Integrity Forum. In these fora, fact checkers, media, journalists, CSOs and academia come together to examine the media landscape and advocate for a healthier information space. Our partners are raising awareness around the importance of a healthy information environment, including through an index on Kosovo's vulnerability to information disorders and information operations. NDI's gatherings on information integrity in the country offer a platform for detailed discussion on information integrity challenges and solutions.

Looking to the Future

As we celebrate NDI's 25th year in Kosovo, moving testimonials from beneficiaries, including women leaders, young activists, and seasoned politicians, highlight the profound impact of NDI's work. The legacy is one of resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment to democratic ideals. As we move forward, NDI remains dedicated to building a more inclusive, transparent, and vibrant democracy for all.

The anniversary celebration is a powerful reminder that democracy is built by the people. Through the individual decisions and actions of thousands of Kosovars, a political system that is participatory, transparent and accountable has been forged. While the progress in Kosovo's democracy is impressive, it remains fragile and, given the instability in the region, even reversible. That makes NDI/Kosovo's work even more important in the years ahead.

In reflecting on the past 25 years, NDI extends heartfelt thanks to their partners, including political parties, members of parliament, and civil society leaders, for their collaboration and support. NDI expresses gratitude to its donors, particularly United States Agency for International Development, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, , and the staff in Pristina and Washington, D.C., for their invaluable contributions to Kosovo's democratic transition.

Let us rededicate our work in memory of the words of Madeleine Albright in 2005 to Kosovo's Assembly: "I am proud that the National Democratic Institute has been able to work with many of you in helping to strengthen political parties, to support this…Assembly and build civil society. And I can assure you that we will continue to assist you in every way we can."

Author: Nancy Soderberg, Senior Country Director, NDI Kosovo and Valon Kurhasani, Senior Deputy Country Director, NDI, Kosovo

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.

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