CARE International UK Urban Briefing Notes
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo
January 2001 (1)
The following paper describes the approach and activities undertaken in a recent poverty
assessment of Kosovo. Eighteen settlements, both rural and urban, were assessed using a range of
qualitative participatory information gathering techniques. Albanian and Serbian research teams
undertook the assessments. A livelihoods based methodology was used as the basis for analysis
and understanding. The result was a profile of poverty, which is being used to inform development
assistance decisions.
The recent conflict in Kosovo marked the climax of twelve years of organised discrimination and
state-supported violence against Kosovo’s Albanian community in the Former Republic of
Yugoslavia. Before 1989 Kosovo enjoyed a level of autonomy from Serbia. This changed over the
following ten years through the systematic sidelining of Albanian Kosovars in political institutions,
the formal economy and employment. During the violence that reached its peak in early 1999, at
least 850 000 ethnic Albanians were forced to flee to neighbouring countries. During the conflict
an estimated 10 000 people in Kosovo were killed. Following the NATO bombings and the
withdrawal of Serbian forces, most Albanian Kosovars returned. At that time up to 33 000 ethnic
Serbs fled, mostly to Serbia.
Kosovo’s population today is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian. Whilst a sense of self-determination
and freedom is apparent, the underlying problems run deep. The conflict brought about
widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure and industry. Unemployment is high. The
remaining few Serbians live in protected enclaves, where to leave is to risk being killed. The future
is uncertain: Kosovo is a temporary UN Protectorate governed by the UN Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK). And whilst the fledgling Kosovo Police Force is in formation, the UN peace-keeping force
KFOR patrols the protectorate.
Participatory livelihoods assessment
The objective of the assessment was to provide a profile of poverty in Kosovo in order to inform
the programming decisions of the aid community. The assessment, carried out between June and
October 2000, was designed to complement information gathered in other studies, in particular a
large World Bank Production and Consumption survey. To these ends the assessment comprised a
comprehensive secondary literature review followed by the gathering of original qualitative data.
Data gathering was undertaken in eighteen settlements throughout Kosovo: fifteen villages, and
three neighbourhoods in Prishtina and Mitrovica (North and South). Assessments were undertaken
by teams of four: two men and two women drawn from participating agencies. Serb teams visited
Serb settlements; Albanian teams visited Albanian settlements.
The assessment approach comprised two key elements: a livelihoods-based approach to
understanding the context using CARE’s Household Livelihood Security (HLS) model i; and the use
of Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) techniques to gather information.
Table One overleaf describes how these two elements were combined. The left hand column
shows the generic components of HLS: assets, access, vulnerability, etc. The second column
describes what this means in the specific context of Kosovo. The third and fourth columns comprise
the PRA tools used to gather information relating to the HLS components. For cross checking of
data, principle and secondary tools were used.
CARE International UK’s Urban Briefing Notes are aim to explore and share information relating
to urban development. For further information contact:
Technical and Policy Unit, CARE International UK, Tower House, 8-14 Southampton Street,
London WC2E 7HA. Tel 0207 379 5247; fax 0207 379 0543; http://www.careinternationaluk.org.uk
Livelihood
Authors: Karen Westley (westley@ciuk.org)and David Sanderson (sanderson@ciuk.org)
Relevance of livelihood components to Kosovo
Principle
Secondary
Through its 65 country offices, CARE International works in some of t he world’s poorest towns
and cities, including those affected by civil war, natural disaster and rapid change.
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo CARE International UK Page 1
Component
context
tool
tools
Institutions
Presence and importance of community level institutions;
interaction of population with external institutions; control of
resources by institutions; institutions at the community or
neighbourhood level; attitude towards new institutions;
participation in decision making
Venn
diagram
Household
interviews; focus
group discussions;
key informants
Natural
resources
Food economy zone; presence of common property resources;
availability and access to natural resources; access to land
Area
mapping
Secondary data;
key informants
Infrastructure
Availability of education, health, social services; water and
sanitation infrastructure, roads and transport infrastructure
Area
mapping
Cultural
environment
Ethnicity; religion and gender
Secondary
data;
Political
environment
Broader political context in Kosovo; Political parties at
community level; access to voting; feelings of
insecurity/uncertainty at household and community level
Secondary
data
Venn diagram;
interviews;
secondary data
Livelihood profile;
interviews; focus
groups
Venn diagram;
interviews; key
informants
Resettlement
patterns
Number and dates of migration and resettlement; perceptions
of security and risk; presence of landmines; physical isolation
Key
informant
interview
Venn
diagram
Mapping;
interviews
C
O
N
T
E
X
T
Processes (rules,
regulations, etc.)
Impact of rules, regulations and policies on households and
communities; potential impact of taxation; access to passports;
impact of judicial processes; perception of new institutions;
institutions at community level; participation
Secondary data;
interviews; key
informants
Social
Exchanges of goods and services; assistance to or from
extended family networks; membership in community groups;
nature of interactions with other households
Social capital; remittances; physical isolation; gender;
distribution of poverty within communities
Household
interview
Livelihood profile
Physical
Housing; agricultural implements; vehicles; machinery; shops;
household level water and sanitation facilities
Household economy; shelter; distribution of poverty within
communities; water and sanitation; food security and agriculture
Household
interview
Livelihood profile
Human
Education level; ability to work; dependency ratio
Education; health; gender; household economy; time allocation;
participation; food security and agriculture
Household
interview
Livelihood profile
Financial
Livestock; savings; remittances; access to credit
Access to finance; household economy; remittances; distribution
of poverty within communities; pension; food security and
agriculture
Household
interview
Livelihood profile
Natural
Land; access to common property resources
distribution of poverty within communities; land holding;
household economy; food security and agriculture
Household
interview
Livelihood profile
Livelihood strategies
(production,
processing,
exchange and
income generating
activities)
Pre-war activities; Type of activities undertaken by each
household member; level of contribution to household
economy; coping strategies; access to employment; income
generating activities; access to credit; contribution of
remittances to household livelihood; distribution of poverty within
households; remittances; pension; gender; food security and
agriculture; economic activities; household economy; access to
finance; time allocation
Household
interviews
Economy activity
analysis; livelihood
profile; key
informant
interviews
Vulnerability to
shocks and stresses
Pre-war condition of household; coping strategy of household
Household
Economic activity
during war; ability to recover from war; time of return; process of
interviews
analysis; livelihood
resettlement; current status of household; barriers to recovery;
profile; key
other stresses (e.g. illness); shelter/housing; remittances; social
informant
capital; economic activities; household economy; pension;
interviews
gender; access to finances
Table One: Information to be collected, tools used in relation to stakeholder themes
H
O
U
S
E
H
O
L
D
A
S
S
E
T
S
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo CARE International UK Page 2
The HLS framework for identifying issues affecting poverty
CARE’s HLS model provided the conceptual framework for linking and describing the issues that
affect and perpetuate poverty in urban and rural settlements. These ranged from uncertainties of
governance to the use household level assets; and from neighbourhood wide issues of
infrastructure to individual concerns over safety. HLS was therefore used as the framework for
identifying what information to gather. To these ends HLS yielded questions relating to:




how household members access resources, eg. through work, loans or welfare
the barriers that prevent access, eg ethnicity, gender, unemployment, location, destruction
and the scarcity of resources
the ability of households to build and use household assets (physical, financial, natural, social,
environmental, political)
the structures that control resources: governance structures and long term uncertainty.
An element of HLS is the effects of stresses and shocks on households. In post-conflict Kosovo three
recent time periods mark major social and economic changes in response to critical shocks: the
pre-1989 (autonomy) period; the ten year (‘ethnic erosion’) period between 1989 and the
beginning of the conflict; and the post-conflict period. Key shocks that punctuate these
transitional periods are the 1989 dismissal of Albanians from formal employment, and the
escalation of violence and insecurity leading up to and including NATO’s air strikes, which began
in March, 1999 and ended three months later.
Xhevrie Sejdiu is a 33-year old widow with six children: 2 boys and 4 girls. Her husband was killed in the
war and she moved to the area from Prapashtica after her house was burned down. She owns land there but
it is right on the border and she is unable to stay. Her brother, who lives nearby, helped her find the place
she is living in now and has been helping her meet her daily needs. Her other brothers and sisters are
unable to help since they are all very badly off as well. One of her other brothers was killed in the war and
one was wounded. The family is currently living in two rooms with a corridor that serves as a kitchen. The
water and toilet are outside. Bathing the children is especially difficult in Winter and they often fall ill due
to the cold. Xhevrie’s main aspiration is to find any job so that she can support her large family. Besides
the assistance she receives from her brother, Xhevrie survives on food aid. She has also registered for
social assistance and hopes to start receiving help soon.
Xhevrie’s brother, Rexhep Ibishi, works in trading in the market. He makes around 500-800 DM a month
depending on business. He owns the house they live in, which he bought 6 years ago. It has three rooms,
and kitchen and a bathroom. It also has running water and electricity. They had some savings from before
the conflict so they have been able to fix up their house using this money. Their other main expenses are
food and clothes. Their main concern at the moment is security for their daughters; they have heard that
there have been some kidnappings in the area.
Findings from household interview
Using PRA to gather information
Within each settlement teams undertook four days of information gathering activities. Each
settlement (villages and neighbourhoods) had been visited prior to each team’s visit; the purpose of
the assessment had been discussed and agreement sought beforehand for the team to undertake
the work.
The aim of each visit was to assemble as representative a picture as possible of that settlement. To
these ends the first three days comprised a variety of information gathering activities, within a
workshop setting as well as in individual houses. The fourth day comprised a presentation by the
team of the findings to participants for feedback and comment. One week of training was given to
the team before the information gathering began, which allowed for familiarisation in the approach
and the adaptation of any tools necessary.
The four days were organised in such a way that more detailed information emerged as the
assessment progressed. Hence day one’s activities comprised mapping, drawing Venn diagrams of
institutions, and forming historical timelines. Day two focussed on jobs and incomes (livelihood
profiling), whilst day three was set aside for in depth household level interviews. Exercises were
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo CARE International UK Page 3
undertaken in mixed groups of men and women, or more commonly as separate groups. This was
enacted primarily to allow women greater freedom to express their views.
Table Two below describes the tools used. The same tools were used both for villages and
neighbourhoods. PRA techniques were chosen as the dominant information gathering approach
due to the majority of sites being rural. During the initial training week tools were modified for the
urban context. This is discussed in the final section of this paper.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
PRA tool
Who with
Brief description
Village/
neighbourhood area
mapping
Institutional
analysis (Venn
diagram)
Mixed groups of
men and
women
Historical
profile
(timeline)
Separate groups
of men and
women
Focus group
discussion
Separate groups
of men and
women
Groups draw their village or neighbourhood on large
sheets of paper, highlighting particular points of interest, eg
meeting places, houses that changed hands, richer and
poorer areas, where important events happened, etc
Groups draw on large sheets circles representing
organisations they know (eg NGOs, UNMIK). Their
relevance and importance is described by size of circle
and location on the page, eg small and away from the
centre represents a perception of unimportance
Groups draw a timeline, from 1989 (the beginning of recent
troubles) to the present day. Key dates are noted and
discussed. Record keepers record the participants’
conversations
Groups recount stories of important events in the
village/neighbourhood. Researchers record conversations
Livelihood
profile
Separate groups
of men and
women
Economic
activity analysis
Separate groups
of men and
women
Household
interviews
With household
members
Focus group
discussion with
youth
With youth
Presentation by
team
To all
participants
Mixed groups of
men and
women
A tool for describing perceptions of poverty and wealth in
a settlement. Participants list characteristics of wealth and
poverty, eg quality of clothes, types of belongings, job, etc.
Characteristics are used to quantify relative wealth/
poverty, eg a poor household may have no one in
employment, poorly clothed children, etc. A better off
household may have good clothes, two jobs, etc.
Participants identify types of economic activity (mostly
jobs), who in the household carries them out (men, women,
children) and how important those activities are to the
household (high, medium, low). Findings are recorded onto
a table during the activity by a participant or facilitator
In depth interviews in household’s homes involving
mapping of extended family, ages, occupations etc. also
information gathering on livelihood aspects: jobs, assets,
relations, etc
Where possible: discussion of issues affecting youth;
recorded by researchers
Findings summarised according to livelihood indicators and
presented back to participants for discussion, confirmation
and/or correction
Table two: four day programme of PRA activities
Review of approach
Information from all eighteen settlements was gathered over a period of four weeks. At the end of
this time the team reconvened for a five day findings review workshop. Through a series of sessions
findings were compared and contrasted, with conclusions drawn. This provided the basis for further
analysis and the formation of the final report.
Using a livelihoods framework
The HLS framework proved to be useful in the following ways:

Equal application to villages and neighbourhoods. The same livelihoods understanding was
applied to both. Differences emerged in the emphases and complexities given to particular
issues, eg in neighbourhoods many relief and development organisations were known about,
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo CARE International UK Page 4
compared to much fewer in villages; in neighbourhoods unemployment was the big issue,
but was less important in villages

As a basis for holistic analysis. The framework includes aspects ranging from governance to
employment. This range helped to mitigate prescribed information being sought: no
particular aspect was promoted above another as an issue on which to gather information, in
order to reduce any biases or ‘pet issues’ of the team

Flexibility: generic headings such as vulnerability, access and controls allowed the framework
to work in the specificities of the Kosovo context. For example, the presence of UNMIK and
new legislature could be described in terms of structures (rules) and processes (regulations)
controlling resources; whilst united but marginalised Serb groups could be described in terms
of possessing strong social and human assets, whilst remaining highly vulnerable

For including intangible as well as tangible assets. As well physical items, information on
human and social assets was also gathered. This was considered as important as an often
overlooked factor concerning poverty, yet one which may be important in future
development interventions

As a basis for unravelling and interpreting a complex situation. This was particularly important
given the scale of the research, the range of complexities present in Kosovo, and the large
research team involved.
Since the conflict the town of Mitrovica has been divided along ethnic lines. Mitrovica North lies to the
North of the bridge that divides the city between the Albanian south and the Serb North. The city has seen
a mass exodus of Serb families from the South to the North and Albanian families from the North to the
south over recent years. The current population is estimated at 26,000. The heavily guarded bridges are the
only links between north and south.
An estimated 70% of households receive food aid. However some still had government jobs (paid through
Belgrade). Most received pensions from Belgrade, albeit very small amounts (25-60 DM). Serbians who
used to work at the Trepca Mine Complex, which has be closed for over a year now, were still receiving
occasional salary checks. However, only one family received remittances or other cash support from their
extended family. Most of the households interviewed were entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance
whilst savings that were used to sustain households over the conflict period are running out.
One informant stated that after the conflict there were no more socio-economic classes: ‘everyone is poor’.
One key informant felt that the economy had improved following the conflict. He stated that the black
market and informal economy increased opportunities for small business. People who were formally in
government jobs or working at the mine, are now working in petty trade.
Extract from final poverty profile report
Using PRA for both urban and rural settlements
Regarding the PRA activities undertaken, lessons can be drawn when comparing activities
between villages and neighbourhoods:

Selecting areas: unlike villages, the edges of particular neighbourhoods were hard to identify.
In the assessment teams relied on local NGOs to help select the neighbourhoods in which to
work. Selection criteria included levels of poverty (high), accessibility (safety of facilitators)
and ethnicity (either Albanian or Serb)

Scale and complexity. Neighbourhoods were large and anonymous: many people did not
know their neighbour’s activities. Almost all kinds of work were identified and incomes ranged
from high to low. Furthermore there was sometimes a reticence to talk about neighbours and
their activities

Security and openness. The assessment in Mitrovica North refined the PRA activities to take
account of security issues. Rather than using group tools that are visually portrayed (such as
maps and Venn diagrams), the team used key informant interviews, household interviews and
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo CARE International UK Page 5
focus group discussions with homogenous groups to assemble information within the
livelihood framework

Finding a meeting place. In participating neighbourhoods there was limited social interaction
between families and low involvement in local activities compared to the villages. The
meeting place also had to be neutral to political or ethnic affiliation. In two cases a school
was used. In Mitrovica North, facilitators approached the leadership of a women’s collective
centre and two internally displaced person’s camps in order to meet with groups and
individuals

Gauging the needs of different age groups: Some elderly and sick people were isolated from
families, as were many young people. The assessment team carried out focus groups with
youth and used age within the economic activities analysis to try and capture intergenerational differences

Generalising for the wider urban context: Due to low levels of social cohesion and
organisation, resulting partly from high rates of in-migration and displacement, it was difficult
for people in group interviews to generalise, for example the range of employment in a given
neighbourhood. In filling out matrices on economic activities it was necessary to restrict the
information to those present at the meeting rather than using the group discussion to develop
a generalised understanding of issues.
Tools
Urban
Mapping



Historical
profile

Institutional
analysis





Economic
activities
analysis







Livelihoods
profile


Rural
Boundaries unclear (where does a
neighbourhood end and another begin?)
Big events remembered, eg houses Serbs fled
from
Range and complexity of infrastructure: different
roads, schools, municipal buildings, bus stops, etc



Hard to define neighbourhood as separate to
city: tendency to combine the two as one
Knowledge of recent history of neighbourhood
Little long term knowledge - high turn over of
people

Lots of institutions: schools, police, NGOs, welfare
organisations, etc
Wide recognition of agency names, but little
knowledge of the role of most of them
Little personal contact with most agencies, eg
NGO vehicles driving through

Fewer institutions known about,
but a greater depth of
understanding of those that are
known about
Not possible to generalise about a
neighbourhood (‘urban anonymity’)
Commuting reduced local knowledge: people
may work in the neighbourhood but live
elsewhere and vice versa
Numerous kinds of jobs: probably almost as many
as can be thought of within the area
Wide range of activities: skilled to unskilled,
professional to manual, etc. (However, high
unemployment)
Seasonality an issue for casual workers, who find
more manual outside work in the summer
More choice of jobs with wider range of skills
Welfare locally available, eg daily soup kitchens


Less range of activities
Seasonality based on agricultural
calendar
Limited choice of livelihood
activities: less types of work, etc
More gender based differences in
economic activities
Difficult to generalise
Wider range of livelihood categories as
household livelihoods are more diversified






Boundaries to village clear
Good knowledge of ownership
Some infrastructure (road,
electricity, etc)
Maybe one school, if that
Defined place within which things
happened
Better longer-term knowledge,
with more established families
Differences more discernible
May have very few categories
since people have similar
livelihood strategies
Table three: some rural and urban differences regarding PRA tools used
Participatory livelihoods assessment, Kosovo CARE International UK Page 6
MDM
Greec
e
Ambula
nce
Hospital
13
Primary
School
12
PP
University
14
Mosqu
e
KFOR
Police
Station
PP
9
Primary
School
3
PP
17
P
O
11
Mosque
7
21
Primary
School
3
2
Secondary
School
10
Red
Cross
4
Red
Cross
Kitchen
5
Mother
Teresa
1
AAH
6
First
Aid
20
Private
Company
18
Venn diagram from Kodra e Trimave (Prishtina) recording perceived importance of local institutions. The mosque
is the most important, followed by the police station and school. NGOs delivering relief (Mother Teresa Society,
Red Cross) are also within the main circle.
Kodra e Trimave is a neighbourhood in the Northern part of Prishtina. The current population of the
neighbourhood is around 40 000, of which 98% is Albanian. The other 2% of the population are Romas. The
percentage of Romas was twice as high before the conflict; many have fled to other part of Kosovo and are
most likely in IDP camps.
The impact of the conflict on women’s employment has been high. The diversity of economic activities postconflict is lower, and the relative importance of women’s activities to the household income is also much
lower. Most formal jobs (eg. Tailor, textile worker) were lost and many students are no longer in school;
women’s primary activity after the conflict is housework, which now has a higher relative importance to the
household. According to the men’s group there was less disruption to men’s economic activities than to
women’s and men’s activities still contribute a relatively high amount to household income. Sixty percent of
the population is currently dependent on food aid. And many families depend on support from relatives both
abroad and in the area.
Extract form final poverty profile report
The assessment was led by CARE International UK on behalf of the Kosovo Poverty Sub
Group of development agencies. Team members comprised Karen Westley, Howard
Standen, Ariel Wosner and David Sanderson. Ross Everson managed logistical support.
The assessment facilitators comprised national staff from the sub group agencies: UNICEF,
WFP, UNDP, and FAO, and NGOs including Catholic Relief Services, Action Against
Hunger, Mercy Corps International, CARE International in Kosovo and World Vision
International. Consultancy inputs were provided by Oxford Policy Management (OPM) in
particular by Saleha Begum.
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