VOCATIONAL TRAININGS AS A TOOL FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT IN REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO: GENDER ISSUES IN EMPLOYMENT

Abstract

As Kosovo is moving to the market economy, the matching of its human 
capital should lead to the more skill-based labour participants when they enter the 
labour market, in order to match with the market needs.  This paper aims to show 
the main factors of the labour market of Kosovo regarding gender, and the 
possibilities of improving the level of unemployment through vocational training. 
Republic of Kosovo has marked employment imbalance regarding gender, with the 
very low participation rates of women in the labour force, this was evident shown 
in the first years of transition Labour force participation and the level of 
employment has been low, and unemployment high. In 2002, labour force 
participation rate in Kosovo was 41.3 %, with male participation rate at 56 % and 
women participation rate at only 27 %. From the data of  the recent  Labour Force 
Survey (2012) after ten years we find that the level of activity rate of women of 
working age is even lower, only one-in-five (17.8% ) women of working age are 
active in the labour market. 
There are also large gender differences throughout the labour market. 
Among those in the labour force, unemployment is much higher for women than it 
is for men (40.0%  compared to 28.1% ). Methodology used in this paper is based 
on the comparative analysis and interpretation of the available data from the 
Labour force Surveys conducted in Kosovo and also reports from World Bank and 
other governmental organizations (UNICEF, MLSW, ILO etc) during the last 10 years 
of transition.  Women in Republic of Kosovo that are employed similarly to the 
ones in other transition countries are concentrated in education and caring 
activities. The disadvantages of the past and the persisting gender inequalities, call 
for policy implications of gender mainstreaming throughout the policy making and 
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Copyright © Center for Science, Academic Research and Arts – CSARA (Qendra për shkencë, kërkime akademike dhe arte 
Csara)-This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits 
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 
SIPARUNTON 
ISSN 2337-0556 (Print) 
ISSN 2337-0572 (Online) 
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research 
Vol 1, Issue 4 
October 2014 
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implementing of those policies that were adopted. A job creation policy targeting 
women may increase possibilities of the productive work and the possibility of 
creating jobs. It is also important to address not only gender inequalities in the 
labour market, but also related issues to education, with increasing level of 
unskilled jobseekers. Since this targeted group has the highest level of 
unemployment, vocational trainings in developing skills for employment in small 
and medium enterprises and family businesses are very important in new 
employment opportunities. 
Key Words : Unemployment , Employment,  Gender, Vocational Training.