Every morning, Lendita Beka, a mother of two, prepares breakfast, tidies the house, and plans the countless errands and tasks that fill her day.
But she wants more: “I would like to find a job that not only lets me care for my children, but also where I can prosper.”
Lendita has not had a paid job for more than five years, but not because she did not want to. With no affordable childcare options and two youngsters depending on her, finding and keeping a job has remained out of reach.
Lendita’s experience is common across Kosovo, with only one in four women active in the labor market.
Limited access to childcare remains one of the main barriers to women’s employment in the country. Kosovo has the lowest early childhood education and care enrollment rate in the Western Balkans — only one-fifth of children ages 0 to 6 across the country are attending kindergarten or pre-school, with those from low-income families the least likely to be registered. And more than half of women outside the labor force cite personal or family responsibilities as the reason they do not work outside the home.
This reflects limited availability and affordability of childcare, especially in rural areas and outside the capital Pristina, rather than weak demand. A shortage of centers and their uneven distribution across the country continue to restrict access, impacting children’s foundational skills like literacy and numeracy, as well as their long-term career potential, while also limiting mothers’ ability to look for work or hold a job.
Vouchers Open New Opportunities
With support from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for countries in need, and Invest in Childcare through the Early Learning Partnership (ELP), Kosovo is now expanding access to affordable childcare through a pilot voucher program, helping create new opportunities for families.
Implemented as part of the Early Childhood Education and Care for Kosovo’s Human Capital Project, vouchers issued through this program cover childcare costs for 313 children ages 3 to 5 from families receiving social assistance and provide transportation support for those living far from kindergartens.
read more: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/07/30/in-kosovo-childcare-vouchers-help-kids-learn-and-mothers-work
