Gender
According to UNDP (2004), almost 66% of women in rural areas were unemployed in 2004. The unemployment rate is higher for women than men in both rural and urban areas. The strategies and the general policies for improving the economic situation in Kosovo are oriented towards reducing the current level of gender inequality in the economy. The promotion of private sector development and improvement of the tax base are very important, especially for rural areas. One priority for women in agri-rural areas is to provide support for family businesses so that women have a greater chance to play an active role as a partner in production/management. Considering rural diversification and potential for development, it is necessary to build women’s decision-making capacities. Training in business development will help them to start new rural activities.

Education of women in agri-rural areas is a critical factor in determining the possibility for them to become employed. After the war, women’s NGOs (more then 70) were involved in improving education through informal training, as well as offering training in computer skills, foreign languages, handicraft and women’s health. Increasing the number of women in secondary school is an urgent policy priority to complement the informal training and education for rural women that is delivered by local/international NGOs.

A concern in agri-rural areas is women’s lack of awareness and education concerning public health issues. Most women living in rural areas have no access to health care centres. However, an increasing number of women seek professional healthcare services. According to vital statistics of 2004, 10% of women in both rural and urban areas had medical assistance during birth, compared to 1999 where 20% of births took place without the assistance of a midwife. Efforts to encourage women and families to use the professional healthcare services have shown a gradual improvement in maternal and infant mortality rates. For example, the infant mortality rate in 2000 was 29.1 per thousand births compared to 28.7 per thousand births in 2001. According to the same source (Women and Men in Kosovo, 2003), maternal mortality rates reduced between 2000 and 2001, falling from 23 per one hundred thousand live births to 12.6 per one hundred thousand live births. Considering the low education level of women in agri-rural areas, a main priority for women is better advice on reproductive health and family planning.

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