Inclusion

Creating meaningful and lasting change for children requires more than policies and programmes. It requires strong partnerships, community leadership, and a genuine commitment to listening to children themselves. These themes stood at the center of the recent visit of Ahmad Alhendawi, Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe (MENAEE) at Save the Children International, to Kosovo, where discussions and field visits highlighted both the progress achieved and the continued need for collective action to protect and advance children’s rights.

Vjollca Obërtinca is a 46-year-old woman from Fushë Kosovë who lives with her husband and three children. Being deaf, she has faced many challenges over the years, including limited access to professional training opportunities and barriers to formal employment. Despite these obstacles, Vjollca has always remained determined to support her family and build a better future for her children.

Safeguarding the well-being of children and vulnerable adults is one of the most pressing challenges facing Kosovo today. Despite progress in policy and law, too many children continue to experience risks of neglect, violence, and exploitation in their homes, schools, and communities. Strengthening safeguarding is not only a legal duty under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Kosovo’s Child Protection Law, but also a moral responsibility shared by all sectors of society.It was against this backdrop that Save the Children Kosova/o, in collaboration with the University of Prishtina and with support from Sida, convened the Safeguarding Symposium on 17 September 2025 in Prishtina. The event brought together government representatives, academics, civil society, international experts, and most importantly the voices of children, to exchange experiences, explore solutions, and chart practical steps toward safer, more inclusive systems in Kosovo.

In the Vocational Education and Training Centre in Prizren, Besa Shehu and Habibe Elshani are more than trainers—they are changemakers. Supported by Save the Children Kosova/o, these two women have transformed their classrooms into spaces of opportunity and inclusion.