Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe: Challenges and Opportunities: Country Report: Kosovo

Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kosovo mirror some of the general challenges that Kosovo faces as a new state. The legal infrastructure on a number of regulations with regard to financing and procurement is still underway. Since 1999, Kosovo’s CSOs have made a shift from civil society oriented projects in ‘peace building’ and ‘conflict resolution’ towards ‘democratization and rule of law’. Focusing mainly in democratization, rule of law and corruption, and gender equality, CSOs play an important role in the social and political life in Kosovo. By and large, civil society in Kosovo, especially large organizations, remain financially dependent on foreign donors. Funds from public institutions are on the rise, even though they are still not regulated by legal criteria and procedures. Citizen volunteering through civil society remains low and it could even be considered to be in decline. Nonetheless, there is a greater number of volunteers than paid staff within the civil society.