In the Western Balkans and beyond, women have traditionally struggled to enter or stay in the labour force due to the unequal division of family responsibilities, lack of support from employers, and inadequate family policies and provisions from governments. At the same time, women face challenges in starting families and having the number of children they want without having to leave their jobs.

Istanbul/Vienna, 15 May 2024 – UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation, today announced the launch of the second phase of their “Expanding Choices” programme promoting gender-responsive family policies in cooperation with governments and the private sector in the Western Balkans.

State World Population Report 2024 - Ending inequalities in sexual and reproductive health and rights Celebrating 30 years of progress Who has been left out? Weaving a path forward