For ALL Women and Girls: Maliqe Mustafa on women’s power to change their own lives - and others’

#ForAllWomenandGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In 2025, the world marks 30 years since the landmark 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing – a defining moment in the global movement for gender equality. Among those carrying this legacy forward is Maliqe Mustafa from Kosovo¹, who turned her passion for beekeeping into a thriving business and now inspires other women to follow their own path and seek the support they need.

Maliqe Mustafa, 52, grew up surrounded by nature and the soft buzz of bees, but it was a modest beehive that planted the seed of something much greater. Today, with more than 80 hives to her name, she is not only a producer of honey, pollen, and propolis, but also a strong voice for women in Zasellë village, North Mitrovica, and a living example of how gender-responsive budgeting and local support can make a difference.

“I began beekeeping 16 years ago with just one hive,” she recalls. „My love for nature and the wish to create something meaningful for my family pushed me forward.” For Mustafa, bees were never only about their products, they are vital to healthy ecosystems. That belief kept her going, even when progress was slow.

As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, she faced real challenges. Many doubted her ability to manage the demanding trade. She lacked financial resources and proper equipment and faced the physical strain of the work. But she persisted. “With commitment and perseverance, I made it,” she says.

Support at the local level made a big difference. In 2023, the Municipality of Mitrovica selected Maliqe Mustafa as one of 50 beekeepers to receive support through a grant programme, providing her with 12 additional hives. A year later, further assistance came in the form of solar panels, equipment, and professional training in financial literacy and economic empowerment. This support came under the project “Promoting Rural Women Empowerment in Kosovo,” implemented by UN Women and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and funded by the Austrian Development Agency.

These examples are examples of gender-responsive budgeting at the municipal level - planning and allocating public funds in ways that address gender inequalities. For Mustafa, that support meant not only more hives and better tools, but also a boost in confidence and motivation.

“Beekeeping has given me financial independence and greater security"

Thanks to the training and new assets, she has improved the quality of her products and expanded the number of hives. The result is a more stable income for her family and a much stronger sense of independence. “Beekeeping has given me financial independence and greater security for me and my family,” she says with pride. What once began as a solitary venture has now become a family business, with each member contributing to both beekeeping and the business side.

Today, Maliqe Mustafa hopes that her journey will encourage other women and girls not to shy away from difficult paths. “Work, patience, and support - these are keys to success,” she emphasizes. Her message is clear: even the smallest beginnings matter. “Don’t give up on your dreams. Every start has its challenges, but with passion and persistence, anything is possible. Women have great power to change their own lives and the lives of their families, if they believe in themselves and take that first step,” she concludes.

¹ References to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).