Call for Proposals: Women’s Economic Empowerment (Kosovo)

Deadline: 30-Mar-2026

The GIZ Office in Kosovo invites local NGOs to submit proposals supporting women’s economic empowerment through integrated training, qualification, and employment interventions. The program targets women facing barriers to labour market participation and aims to increase sustainable employment, self-employment, and income-generating opportunities while addressing structural and social constraints.

Program Overview

This funding opportunity promotes sustainable labour market participation of women by combining skills development, qualifications, employment support, and measures to reduce structural and social barriers. The program recognizes that training alone is insufficient and encourages interventions addressing childcare, mobility, flexible working conditions, and other obstacles to women’s full participation in the workforce.

Objectives

The call aims to:

• Improve women’s employability through market-relevant training and recognized qualifications.

• Facilitate the transition of women into formal employment, self-employment, or income-generating activities.

• Develop context-specific solutions aligned with local socio-economic conditions and labour market dynamics.

• Identify job vacancies and engage employers, chambers, and training providers on required skills.

• Reduce non-skill barriers such as childcare, elder care, transport, and flexible work constraints.

• Strengthen connections between women, employers, training institutions, and local authorities.

• Promote gender-responsive, inclusive, and sustainable labour market practices.

Target Groups

Primary beneficiaries:

• Women aged 35–55 facing barriers to labour market participation

• Unemployed or underemployed women

• Women with low or outdated skills

• Women from rural or non-majority communities

• Women in informal or precarious work

Secondary beneficiaries:

• Employers and business associations

• Training and vocational education providers

• Childcare and care service providers

• Local authorities and community-based organizations

Project Components

1. Employability & Skills Development

• Short-term and modular training programmes aligned with labour market demand

• Upskilling in traditional and emerging sectors such as digital skills, e-commerce, digital marketing, bookkeeping, care services, creative industries, retail, textile, food technology, and handicrafts

• Recognition of prior learning to validate informal skills and facilitate formal employment

2. Employment Support

• Pre-training partnership with local businesses for job placement

• Gender-sensitive career counselling, mentoring, and coaching

• Tailored support for job retention and workplace integration

• Limited self-employment support with clear justification and selection criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants: Local NGOs with proven experience in women’s economic empowerment

• Must operate decentralized services across all Kosovo regions

• May apply individually or as part of a consortium/partnership

• Required cooperation with Kosovo institutions, including:

  • Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo

  • Vocational Training Centres

  • Centres for Social Work

  • Municipalities

• Partnerships with private-sector actors are strongly encouraged

Expected Outcomes

• Increased sustainable employment and income for women

• Expanded access to market-relevant skills and recognized qualifications

• Reduced structural and social barriers preventing labour market participation

• Strengthened linkages between women, employers, training providers, and institutions

• Improved gender equality and inclusive labour practices across Kosovo

How to Apply

1. Confirm NGO eligibility and operational presence across Kosovo regions.

2. Design an integrated intervention addressing skills development, employment support, and barrier reduction.

3. Develop partnerships with local institutions, training providers, and employers.

4. Submit a detailed project proposal including objectives, activities, outcomes, and budgets.

5. Demonstrate a strategy for sustainable impact and measurable outcomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Proposing training without addressing employment pathways or barriers

• Focusing solely on self-employment without justification

• Ignoring local labour market demand in programme design

• Failing to show partnerships with Kosovo institutions or private-sector actors

• Submitting applications from NGOs without prior experience in women’s economic empowerment

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who can apply? Local NGOs with experience in women’s economic empowerment and operational presence in all Kosovo regions.
2. Can NGOs form partnerships? Yes, proposals may be submitted as a consortium or partnership.
3. What types of projects are eligible? Integrated interventions combining skills training, qualification, employment support, and barrier reduction.
4. Who are the primary beneficiaries? Women aged 35–55, unemployed, underemployed, rural, non-majority, or working informally.
5. Is self-employment support allowed? Yes, but only for selected beneficiaries with clear justification.
6. Are partnerships with institutions required? Strong cooperation with Kosovo institutions and private-sector actors is expected.
7. What sectors are eligible for training? Digital skills, care services, e-commerce, creative industries, retail, textiles, food technology, and handicrafts.

Conclusion

The GIZ Kosovo Women’s Economic Empowerment grant promotes inclusive, sustainable employment for women by integrating skills development, qualifications, employment support, and measures to remove barriers. This approach empowers women, strengthens local labour markets, and contributes to gender equality and economic growth across Kosovo.

For more information, visit GIZ.