International Communities Organisation Empowering Communities 106 MOUNT STREET, W1K 2TW, LONDON UK Website: https://internationalcommunities.org [email protected]

RESEARCH ON DEVELOPMENT 1. Demographic Information Current population -1, 864, 392 -51.5% male and 48.5% female -27.2% of population are under 15 -66.1% are between 15-64 -6.7% are 65+ Unemployment rate decreased to 32.9% (est. 2015) from 35.3% the year before Ethnic groups -Albanians 92.9% -Bosniaks 1.6% -Serbs 1.5% -Turk 1.1% -Ashkali 0.9% -Egyptian 0.7% -Gorani 0.6% -Roma 0.5% -Other/unspecified 0.2% Languages - Albanian 94.50% (official) -Bosnian 1.7% -Serbian 1.6% -Turkish 1.1% -Other 1.1% Religions -Muslim 95.60% -Christians 3.69% -Atheist 0.10% -Other 0.6% Literacy rate -Total population: 91.90% -Male: 96.6% -Female: 87.5% Poverty Rate -45% of population (15% in extreme poverty)

2. What are the resources of Young People’s Education -There are 55 thousand people who are fully illiterate, with only 5, 178 officially registered between the ages of 10 and 24, majority of which are male -This comprises 3.2% of the general number of population and 3.9% of people above the age of 10. These figures are some of the highest in . -Due to the high poverty rates, parents are less able to send their children to school so literacy levels are low -“ Education system after the war has not had the necessary institutional treatment” -The Higher Education sector in is regulated by the Law on Higher Education (No. 04/L-037), which was adopted in August 2011 -The Higher Education system in Kosovo operates through public universities and private higher education institutions. -The ECTS credit system, the three-cycle degree system, student and staff mobility, the diploma supplement and a quality assurance system. -The right to education is guaranteed in the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, which in its Article 47 provides that: 1. Every person enjoys the right to free basic education. Mandatory education is regulated by law and funded by public funds, 2. Public institutions shall ensure equal opportunities to education for everyone in accordance with their specific abilities and needs. -The higher education in Kosovo is based in the following principles, as articulated in the Higher Education Law, Article 2: 1. Academic freedom, as determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo & its subsequent interpretation by the judiciary; 2. Equality before the law of all bearers of higher education; 3. Equal opportunities for all students and staff in higher education institutions without discrimination; 4. Diversity and quality in programmes of study and in support of learning 5.Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship as key objectives of higher education bearers and programmes of study; 6.European and international focus in all areas of higher education, providing for student and staff mobility and comparability of standards of diploma and qualifications; 7. A commitment to research and scholarship to support teaching and learning and to extend the boundaries of knowledge and understanding within Kosovo and abroad; 8. Active engagement of students, in the individual aspect as well as collectively, in the life of their institution and in their own learning

- Existing services for youth are mainly provided by youth NGO’s supported and funded by Department of Youth, municipalities and international organizations -Approximately 15,000-20,000 young people are provided annually with direct services or participate in different social programmes for their development - Youth services ensure the implementation of basic democratic rights to self-organize and to participate in all areas of development of the public life and local community. For example, Youth Networks are now established in more than five municipalities who served as a ground for forming thirteen Municipal Youth Action Councils - The total number of students in university education in the academic year 2015/2016 was 120.429 students, of them 60.7% went to public colleges, while 39.3% went to private colleges. 3. Are there Laws and Institutions working for Reform and development of the legal and institutional infrastructure upon which financial and capital markets are built

-The primary financial institutions are banks, pension funds, insurance firms, non-bank financial institutions and micro-finance institutions. The of Kosovo (CBK) is responsible for licensing and regulating financial institutions -Although Kosovo has built a solid financial system, it has not completed the primary necessary legislation yet to adjust it as a genuine financial market, which shall be in the service of investors, intermediaries, capital costumers, etc. -Lack of legislation, particularly laws on securities, has made not only the purpose of implementation of the offer demand and the offer for financial market complex, but it has also produced negative effects on the functioning of the market economy

4. Are there any courses on “financial literacy” provided by the Civil Society Organisations? Or any campaign on “financial literacy” provided through mass media - television, internet, radio, print

The , together with the Kosovo Banking Association launched a national financial education program to boost Kosovo’s knowledge about smart borrowing, financial products, and e-banking. Additionally, the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo launched the Global Money Week campaign, which began in 2014. One of the events involved a financial education event at a primary school in Prizen, with grade 4/5 students. Students were presented with a lot of useful information about the function of the money and personal financial management, and they participated in group work. They also had the Governor of the Central Bank went around Economic high schools highlighting the importance of saving and financial management, and encouraged the youth to be devoted to learning this. Similar events across the nation took place too. Throughout 2016, the Kosovo Banking Association organised lectures and classes on spending, savings, investment and money management, as well as, conducted a massive media campaign in order to reach the population, including a series of radio interviews, television shows and by publishing financial literacy videos on national television.

5. Are the following principles are established? If yes, please provide a short summary and the online source. If not, please provide the source showing it is not established, yet. If the information does not exist, just say N/A

TITLE Yes, Short Summary Online Source No or (Link) N/A Public YES Kosovo’s Basic Education https://www.fhi360 Education Program (BEP) helps strengthen .org/projects/kosov Program the education reform efforts by o-basic-education- targeting the critical elements the program-bep

country needs to establish and sustain a modern education system Capacity YES Community Mobilization – Capacity http://www.ecmiko Building Building Program for CSO’s in the sovo.org/en/Past- Program North of Kosovo” aims to foster Projects/Category/ democratic potential of the Past-

communities living in Northern Projects/Communit Kosovo by increasing the role and y-Mobilization- strengthening the abilities of civil %E2%80%93- society organisations, thereby Capacity-Building- encouraging involvement of Program-for- CSO’s and local communities in CSO%E2%80%99s- the decision-making processes in-the-North-of- Kosovo Financial and YES Economic and Reform www.ebrd.com/docu Capital programme 2016-2018 aligned ments/strategy-and- Markets policy- Legislation with the EU coordination/strategy Reform -in-kosovo.pdf National Investment Committee Programs 1.

Single Project Pipeline

(infrastructure reform) Banking, Key reforms aimed at enhancing www.ebrd.com/docu Capital the legal environment, ments/strategy-and- Markets, and strengthening public policy- Insurance administration, developing coordination/strategy Regulatory institutions, and reinforcing -in-kosovo.pdf Authority physical infrastructure, resulting in

Reform the improvement of certain Programs preconditions for inclusive and sustainable growth This

notwithstanding, the overarching business environment has not improved sufficiently to translate into a noticeable improvement in formal employment, social conditions, and the socio- economic welfare of the most disadvantaged segments of society

Financial N/A Court Reform Program

Stock Economic Reform Program http://www.esiweb. Exchange (NERP) (est. 2015) org/rumeliobserver Reform /wp- Program The Government Programme content/uploads/20 2015-2018 15/04/Kosovo-

Both of which outline the NERP.pdf financial policy priorities for the next few years, including (1) economic development, employment, and welfare; (2) rule of law; (3) the European agenda and foreign policy; (4) education, science, culture, youth, and sport; and (5) modern healthcare Corporate Economic Reform Program http://www.esiweb. Governance (NERP) org/rumeliobserver Reform /wp- Program The Government Programme content/uploads/20 2015-2018 15/04/Kosovo-

NERP.pdf Transaction Economic Reform Program http://www.esiweb. Execution (NERP) org/rumeliobserver and /wp- Privatization The Government Programme content/uploads/20 Program 2015-2018 15/04/Kosovo- NERP.pdf

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Independent Balkan News Agency - http://www.balkaneu.com/alarming-levels- illiteracy-kosovo/

Kosovo Youth Strategy Action Plan 2009- http://www.youthpolicy.org/national/Kosovo_2009_Youth_Strategy_Action_Plan.pdf

Kosovo Agency of Statistics - http://ask.rks-gov.net/en/kosovo-agency-of-statistics

Higher Education System Kosovo - http://supporthere.org/page/higher-education- system-kosovo

LAW No.04/L-037 on Higher Education in The Republic Kosovo - http://masht.rks-gov.net/uploads/2015/06/02-ligji-per-arsimin-e-larte-anglisht.pdf

European Law Union Law; Commission for Communication – A European Future for Kosovo http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52005DC0156

World Bank Group, Kosovo Financial Literacy - http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2015/07/09/world-bank-group- kosovo-banking-association-help-increase-financial-literacy

Kosovo Economic Reform Programme 2016 - http://www.kryeministri- ks.net/repository/docs/Economic_Reform_Program_2016_16122015.pdf

The EU’s IPA Programme for Kosovo, Policy and Strategic Planning - http://www.esiweb.org/rumeliobserver/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Kosovo- NERP.pdf