PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Kosovo seeks EU membership despite non-recognition by five states. The 23% poverty rate hits rural areas and women harder. Early-stage social policy and EU readiness allocate 8.5% of GDP to social protection, emphasizing the need to address persistent gender-based discrimination.

The evaluation aims to provide the EU and stakeholders with (1) an independent and gender-sensitive assessment of the interventions, focusing on performance, sustainability, systemic changes, and innovative methodologies; (2) key lessons, conclusions, and recommendations for legislative and institutional transformations in Kosovo's social protection sector, with the goal of enhancing future gender-transformative and inclusive interventions.

The specific objectives involve assessing the impact of six interventions on strengthening social service provider capacities and improving the quality, access, and efficiency of social services. Additionally, the evaluation aims to assess the EU's performance in the sector over the past four years, identifying enabling factors and barriers to proper delivery and sustainability. The process includes highlighting sustainable good practices and key support areas, as well as providing transparent reporting on EU support to Kosovo's social protection sector. Lastly, the project aims to inform future programming in the sector based on the findings of the evaluation.

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