UN Albania on ending violence against women

TIRANA, Nov 25 – United Nations Agencies in Albania joined the global campaign “UNiTE to end violence against women”.
To tackle inequality and gender-based violence, United Nations Agencies in Albania are addressing these issues through a joint programme.
The UN Joint Programme on Gender Equality and Domestic Violence in Albania signed in August 2008 provides the framework for UN agencies in support of the implementation of the National Strategy on Gender Equality and Domestic Violence (2007-2010). Under the UN Joint Programme coordinated by UNIFEM, UNDP is supporting the drafting of secondary legislation pertaining to the new gender equality law and is building the capacities of police and judges to ‘respond and prevent’ domestic violence; UNDP and UNICEF are working with local communities in 4 municipalities to develop community-responses to gender-based violence, with UNFPA supporting the development of capacities of the healthcare workers to respond to victims nationally and locally; and UNDP and UNICEF are partnering with government to conduct the first national survey on the prevalence of domestic violence.
The UN believes that gender-based violence stems from deeply rooted inequalities in a given society. As a means to tackle these inequalities, under the direction of UNIFEM, the UN was successful in advocating with national legislators for the inclusion of a 30% quota in the Electoral Code.
UNDP and UNFPA in Albania are implementing awareness raising activities involving youth and school communities in 8 regions.
The Albanian Network Against Gender based Violence and Trafficking is piloting the establishment of referral services for female victims of domestic violence in Berat, Shkodra, Rreshen, Vlora and Pogradec, bringing together stakeholders from the public, private, and non-profit sector in preventing and combating gender-based violence.