News

Written by: Florandë Morina

Everything starts with at least 10 documents. The completed application by the applicant, a copy of the identification card, authorization for representation, decision and final judgment, and other documents must be possessed by anyone who wishes to register property in their name in the Republic of Kosovo.

All of these are then submitted to the reception offices of the municipal cadastral directorates.

This is not the end of the process. The property registration procedure can last up to a decade in cases of disputes, where there is disagreement between the parties regarding a specific property, which is then addressed in court. In these cases, women often suffer. Additionally, the financial burden is high.

Anton Nrecaj, executive director at the Center for Free Legal Aid and Regional Development (CLARD), states that only in the past year, 225 citizens sought free legal support from this organization. 65% of these applicants are men, and 35% are women.

“Cases that are processed in court take an average of 6 to 7 years to be resolved. The cost of a case if addressed in court is 2,000 euros. There are situations where a case can take up to 10 or 12 years to prove ownership. Out of 225 cases, only 23 have been resolved regarding inheritance matters where there was no dispute. The cost of these cases is approximately 1,500 to 2,000 euros,” explains Nrecaj.

Despite the challenges, there are a total of 127,010 women in the country who have fully exercised their right to property. The number of men is almost four times higher.

In a response from the Kosovo Cadastre Agency, data on property ownership shows that there are over 600,000 property owners across the country, with slightly more than half a million being men.

Calculated as a percentage, 20.2% of all citizens who own property are women, while 79% are men.

In terms of demographics, the highest number of women who have exercised their right to property comes from Pristina. This number exceeds 13,000. Compared to the other 34 municipalities, according to the statistics of the Cadastre Agency, the capital alone accounts for over 10% of the total number.

In the response from the Cadastre Directorate of the Municipality of Pristina, it is stated that in 2024, 7,084 men and 667 women applied to register property, which is ten times fewer women.

The municipality does not have data on the female applicants from the rural areas of Pristina.

The situation is much worse in other municipalities, with an average of 3,000 female property owners.

According to Nrecaj, this is due to the advocacy and easier access to information that women living in larger cities have.

“If we talk about requests coming from women, most of them come from urban areas, i.e., cities. This is because there is more information and awareness. On the other hand, requests from women living in rural areas are very few. The percentage of requests from these women is only 2-3% compared to those from urban areas,” says Nrecaj.

It is also stated by the non-governmental organization, Advocacy Training and Resource Center (ATRC), which, in collaboration with the World Bank, has launched a large awareness and support campaign for property registration.

“The door-to-door campaign that began in August is set to conclude by January 2025, having visited over 6,000 families to raise awareness about property rights. The questionnaires filled out by the field teams show that there is interest, but also hesitation from women to take action,” says Odeta Naks, project manager for the Property Rights Initiative at ATRC.

Naks further explains the most frequent difficulties faced by the interviewed women.

“The most frequent challenges are related to the legalization of homes that are on communal property, as well as inheritance, which is often not completed, and even when it is, there is a tendency to waive it in favor of male family members,” she clarifies.

Edona Shala, a sociologist, describes the factors that influence women’s decisions to exercise or not exercise their property rights, depending on the geographic area where they live.

“Living in rural areas often contributes to the lack of information about women’s rights due to several factors. Geographic isolation limits women’s access to public services, institutions, and organizations that provide information and support. The lack of infrastructure, such as good roads and public transportation, makes it difficult to participate in educational activities or training that could raise their awareness,” says Shala.

According to her, the rules and traditions in smaller areas also have a negative effect.

“Moreover, traditional and patriarchal norms that dominate these areas often limit women’s roles in society, affecting their awareness of their rights. These communities often lack supportive organizations that could offer information and help. As a result, these factors create an environment that negatively affects women’s empowerment and their ability to claim their rights,” she concludes.

Even greater challenges regarding property rights are faced by women belonging to minority communities in Kosovo, particularly those from the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities.

On the positive side, the recent update is that the property certificate can now be obtained at any time through E-Kosova and is valid as proof in administrative and notary offices.

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This project is part of the UN Women initiative, “Addressing the Impacts of Gender-Based Violence in Kosovo and Empowering Survivors to Combat Stigma and Speak Out,” supported by the British Embassy in Pristina.