Following a D4D organization survey, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a multidimensional negative impact on the lives of citizens globally. The negative impact on economic and social life is even more noticeable in countries like Kosovo, due to the high level of unemployment and the social situation in the pre-pandemic period.
While in 2019 the unemployment rate at the national level was 25.7%, one of the highest percentages in the region, during 2020 a large number of citizens and businesses were hit due to the economic crisis and preventive measures approved by the Government of Kosovo for preventing the spread of the pandemic. In addition to the economic impact, the citizens of Kosovo, especially women and other vulnerable groups, experienced deteriorating living conditions. Numerous studies during this period conducted by D4D have shown that the burden on women has multiplied.
In the research conducted by D4D during March, 2022 with 1065 respondents, to the question “How has the COVID-19 Pandemic affected your socio-economic situation?” 62% of respondents stated that their condition has deteriorated. This percentage is quite concerning, given that the COVID-19 Pandemic has not yet been declared a closed period, and the risk for other pandemic waves still remains threatening. Of the respondents, 25.3% answered that there was no negative or positive impact on their socio-economic situation, while 11.2% of respondents stated that their socio-economic conditions have improved during this period.
